Rajasthan government is not paying salary for 10 months to Dalit teacher who said, “Not Saraswati but the real goddess of education is Savitribai Phule”
Savitribai Phule Jayanti 2025: Teacher Hemlata Bairwa is under the burden of debt, house rent and bank loan are in default. No action has been taken in a year on the FIR registered under the Scheduled Castes/Tribes Atrocities Prevention Act, departmental inquiry is also still pending
Hemlata Bairwa, a Dalit teacher who dared to tell the villagers that ‘the real goddess of learning is Savitribai Phule’ by refusing to put up Saraswati’s picture during the Republic Day celebrations in the government school in 2024, has been fighting a battle against the system for a year now.
Published on: 03 Jan 2025, 8:44 am
Baran/Rajasthan – Today, January 3 is the birth anniversary of Maa Savitribai Phule, India’s first female teacher, the goddess of learning who played a pioneering role in providing education to girls and people from the excluded sections of society.
Mother Savitri Bai Phule is a source of inspiration for every woman, especially the Dalit and Bahujan class. Savitri Bai, who opposed many evil practices like child marriage, Sati Pratha, widow shaving, faced opposition from the patriarchal society and opened the first school for girls, but efforts to honor her legacy of education and equality are still clashing with casteist mentality and oppressive system in many places.
Hemlata Bairwa, a teacher at Government Higher Primary School, Lakadai, located in Baran district of Rajasthan, has become a symbol of this struggle. During a program organized in the school on the occasion of Republic Day 2024, seeing only pictures of Baba Saheb and Mahatma Gandhi on the stage, some people insisted on placing the picture of Saraswati. Hemlata Bairwa refused them and clearly said, “The real goddess of education is Savitribai Phule.” Her bold step challenged the local casteist mindset, but it resulted in an FIR against her along with departmental action and she was suspended. Her headquarters was shifted to Bikaner.
After winning the legal battle, she was reinstated in the month of April, she also got posting in July but due to non-receipt of salary since March 2024, Hemlata Bairwa and her family are facing serious financial crisis.
Her two children, who are preparing for NEET and REET while staying in Kota, are forced to continue their studies in difficult circumstances. The children’s room rent in Kota is pending for several months, while Hemlata herself lives in a rented room in Chhipabaraud for Rs 2,000. Hemlata, who is desperate for every penny, is forced to survive by eating one meal a day.
Hemalatha Bairwa’s room in Chhipabaraud, which has bed, clothes, essential utensils and these pictures in the name of belongings,
Punishment for truth or a conspiracy of the system?
Hemlata Bairwa was posted as Prabodhak Level-1 in Government Higher Primary School Lakadai (PEEO Bandipura) Kishanganj District Baran, but after the Saraswati vs Savitri dispute on 26 January 2024, not only an FIR was registered against her but disciplinary action was taken by the department after which she was suspended.
The Dalit teacher challenged her suspension in the Rajasthan Administrative Tribunal (RAT), after which the Education Department, on 10.04.2024, keeping the investigation pending, reinstated her from suspension and fixed her headquarters as Chief Block Education Officer, Panchayat Chhipabauda, District-Baran till further orders. In the month of July, District Education Officer (Headquarters) Primary, Baran Piyush Kumar Sharma issued orders regarding posting of Hemlata Bairwa in Government Primary School, Ahmeda.
In a detailed conversation with The Muknayak, Hemalatha told that the department has deliberately given her posting in Ahmada to harass her. She says, “The school is 25 kms away from a place where there is no means of transport or bus, one can travel only by personal vehicle but I am a single woman and it is not possible for me to travel 25 kms daily in a deserted place. Before the controversy, I was posted in Lakadai school and my post is still vacant there but I was not given posting there whereas those two teachers who had created the ruckus by instigating the villagers are still working there.”
Hemlata has filed a petition in RAT for posting in her old school, which is to be heard on Friday, January 3. Currently, Hemlata is working in the Chief Block Education Officer’s office in Chhipabarod. “I cannot travel 150 kilometers from home for duty every day, so I have rented a room here for Rs 2,000. I don’t have much stuff – I just have a bed, some clothes, books and essential utensils – says Hemlata while showing her room.” But among the essential things, Hemlata did not forget to bring the picture of her ideal mother Savitri Phule. Hemlata says, “The pictures of Jyotiba and Baba Saheb along with Savitri Mata always remain with me, this whole fight is for their respect, how can I leave them?”
When asked the reason for not approaching the court for the pending salary, Hemalatha said that she could not pay the lawyer’s fee, so she did not file the petition.
Loan installments are pending for six months, rent of children’s room is also increasing
Hemlata is a single mother and brings up both her children alone. She has been living separately from her husband for the last 4-5 years. Despite being a B.Ed graduate, he does not work nor does he take any responsibility of the children. Hemlata said, “My son Nihal is preparing for NEET, my daughter is taking coaching for REET, both of them live together in a room whose food and lodging expenses are Rs 7,000. I have not been able to pay this money for many months. The landlord is also from my community. He does not say much, understanding my problem, it is because of the support of good people that somehow days are passing by.”
Hemlata had taken a personal and car loan from SBI bank before the dispute but now she has not been able to pay the installments for about six months. She says, “So far no notice has come from the bank but if the salary is not received soon then the problems will increase”. The situation of poverty is such that Hemlata is forced to survive by eating food only once a day. With a faint smile she says, “In the morning I eat tea-biscuits or something like that and then eat food only in the evening”. In the days full of difficulties, Hemlata has the support of her father and brother who help her as much as possible.
When asked the reason for not filing an application in the court for the pending salary, Hemalatha said that the lawyer’s fee is high and therefore I am unable to file an application right now.
It is worth mentioning that the organization of Scheduled Caste officers and employees AJAK i.e. Dr. Ambedkar Scheduled Caste Officers Employees Association (AJAK) had provided Rs. 50,000 as financial aid to Hemlata to fight the legal case going on against her after her suspension. Hemlata needs an advocate who will come forward to help her.
Police did not take any action on the FIR for one year
On the complaint of Hemlata Bairwa, the police registered a case against two teachers Bhupendra Sen and Hansraj Sen and some locals under the SC/ST Atrocities Prevention Act and sections 504 and 506 of the IPC. Bairwa had opposed Saraswati Puja in the government school, citing Article 28 of the Constitution in the FIR.
On the other hand, the villagers filed a counter complaint against Bairwa under sections 295A and 153A of the IPC, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments.
Hemalatha said that the police have not yet taken any action against any of the accused and the case is still pending, saying it is under investigation.
The teacher said, “I have requested IG sahab and other officials several times to take action against the accused but the police is knowingly not filing the challan and is protecting the culprits. My protest was based on the provisions of the Constitution and there was no intention to hurt anyone’s religious beliefs.
Finally, when asked whether she regrets her actions or is still determined to fight for the honour of Savitribai Phule, Hemlata says, “I have not done anything wrong. I exist today only because of the contribution of mother Savitribai. No matter how many problems come, I will continue my fight for the honour of Savitri- Jyotiba Phule, Baba Saheb and the Constitution.
Salary order issued a month ago: DEO
To know the education department’s side in this matter, The Mooknayak spoke to Baran’s District Education Officer (Headquarters) Primary, Piyush Kumar Sharma. The District Education Officer was asked the reason behind withholding the teacher’s salary for 10 months. Along with this, information was also sought on any action taken against the two accused teachers and the headmaster of Lakadai school on the complaint given by Hemlata Bairwa.
Sharma told that he has issued the order to pay Hemlata’s salary about a month ago, orders have been given to pay the salary after adjusting the remaining leaves etc., by preparing the salary as per the teacher’s attendance. When asked about the salary by The Muknayak, Sharma expressed surprise and said, “The salary orders have been sent to the Chief Block Education Officer, Panchayat Chhipabauda, has she not received it yet? If she has not received the salary, she should have told me, she has not been in touch, otherwise there is no pending issue of salary from my office”.
The DEO said that the posting was delayed due to the election code of conduct. Sharma said, “I asked her for a place of her choice and she asked me to post her at any place near her home. Then I gave her a posting in Ahmada which is 25 km away but she expressed her inability to do that too. Then she got a stay on it and now she is posted in the office of the Chief Block Education Officer.”
On the question of complaint against the accused teachers and headmaster, Sharma said that this is a matter of departmental investigation which is still going on. The police case is different but the investigation by the department is still going on.
A message was also sent to Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar to know the reason for not paying the teacher’s salary. The news will be updated when a reply is received.
