SC woman barred from cooking food for students in Tamil Nadu
PUDUKKOTTAI: In the wake of one year since the Vengaivayal incident, an SC woman from the village, one Rajarathinam, has alleged that she was not allowed to continue to cook for the CM’s Breakfast Scheme due to caste discrimination at Annavasal Town government primary school, the same school her daughter attends.
“Three months ago, I was among the three cooks chosen to work at the Annavasal Town primary school. One day, I went to school and a majority of students did not show up, including my two fellow cooks who were also caste Hindus. They were all boycotting my cooking as I was from the SC community,” she said.
When asked about this supposed boycott, Mahalir Thittam department officials said that it was the last day of training for the cooks and she was not even assigned to the position by them. However, a senior official said, Rajarathinam was added to the list by a field official.
“My daughter is the only SC child in the school. Following the Vengaivayal incident, she is being ostracised by everyone there and it is making her feel very insecure,” Rajarathinam added. District collector IS Mercy Ramya told TNIE,
“Certain political outfits along with Vengaivayal residents approached us, alleging that an SC woman has been unfairly left out. Mahalir Thittam officials said that she never fully attended training and did not fulfil their criteria for the position. We did say that those who feel there is still more to the issue can come back and represent the woman, but nothing of the sort has happened so far.”