Tamil Nadu: Parents reject noon meal cooked by Dalit despite court order in Tiruppur

Pappal, the dalit woman, worked as a cook in Tirumalai Kavundampalayam Government High School in Kuttagam near Avinashi.

Published: 07th January 2024 07:02 AM

By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Tension prevailed in Tiruppur after parents of students from a government school in Kuttagam panchayat violated the court’s direction by not allowing a dalit woman to cook food for the kids and for making her serve the food cooked by other individuals.

Pappal, the dalit woman, worked as a cook in Tirumalai Kavundampalayam Government High School in Kuttagam near Avinashi. A few parents protested by not sending their children to the school citing that Pappal, a dalit, is preparing food for the kids. Following this, she was transferred. However, the incident caused a stir and she was taken back.

Pappal had filed a complaint based on which a case was registered against 87 people, under sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Sewur police also arrested eight people. While the trial of this case was going on in the Tirupur District Chief Court, Judge Sornam Natarajan directed that students and parents should eat the food cooked by Papal. The cook came back to the school on Saturday and prepared food in the canteen.

However, this food was allegedly kept aside and the parents hired another person for cooking and made papal serve it. As the incident caused a stir in the locality, lawyer PB Mohan conducted negotiations between Pappal and the parents. The parents left after saying that Pappal shall resume cooking for the kids after Pongal holidays.“The parents have violated the district court’s direction,” said Mohan.