The republic of India proudly celebrated the anointing first tribal woman Draupadi Murmu as President of India on Monday, but on the other hand, the tribal girl students who in their menstrual cycle (monthly period) were prevented from planting saplings in a function by their teachers in Nasik district of Maharashtra on Tuesday.
The tribal students at Devgaon Tribal school, Trimbekeshwar, were prevented from participating in the tree plantation program of the school by their teachers as the girls were menstruating. These students were told that if the menstruating girls plant the saplings, they would not grow and survive. Therefore, they should not be part of the program.
They were also told that last year a few girls planted the samplings when they were menstruating and they did not grow well.
Further, they also informed the girls who are menstruating should never go close to the planted saplings. These girls shared this incident with their parents and they subsequently filed a complaint to the tribal development department and demanded action against the teachers who humiliated them.
The tribal girls said that their teachers always humiliate them during their menstrual cycle. “They also insulted these girls by calling us with a particular insulting name in the class and in public, always. When we were prevented from planting saplings, we asked the teachers the scientific reasons behind it, but they told this was a myth, and we should believe in it. But teachers rather than understanding our viewpoint, threatened us and asked to keep quiet. If we speak, then they will not allow us to sit for the board exams as well,” said a tribal girl.
Maharashtra state commission for women chairman Rupali Chakankar took cognisance of this incident asking tribal development department to probe and submit a report.
“We should condemn this shameful incident in state like Maharashtra. Teachers conduct are objectionable. The job of the teachers is remove superstitious belief, not make the students superstitious. The teachers humiliated them by preventing them from planting saplings. The factual report should be submitted and action would be taken,” she added.