Rajasthan: “Reinstated, but did not give school, now I travel 150 KM up and down”- Hemlata Bairwa
“I am a single woman. My life is in danger. I have trouble travelling such a long distance alone. I feel insecure.
Published on: 22 May 2024, 6:28 pm
Jaipur. The alleged state-sponsored discrimination and harassment of Dalit female teacher Hemlata Bairwa continues even after five months of the incident. Although the female teacher has been reinstated after challenging her suspension in the competent court, she has not been posted in the school yet. To harass her, she has been attached to the far-flung CDEEO office of the district, where she has to travel 150 kilometers up and down every day to mark her attendance.
Hemlata Bairwa told The Muknayak , “After withdrawing my suspension order on April 13, the Primary Education Department removed me from Bikaner headquarters and attached me to the CDEEO office in Chhipa Baroda in my home district Baran. This is quite far from my village Gigchi in Kishanganj. I have to travel 150 kilometers up and down every day to reach the office.”
When asked for school, he made an excuse of code of conduct
Hemlata Bairwa further said- “I have given an application to the District Education Officer for posting in a school and duty in an office near my residence. The District Education Officer is not taking action on my application on the pretext of code of conduct, whereas after my suspension order was cancelled, I was reinstated and attached to the CDEEO office located in Chipa Baroda during the code of conduct itself.”
Application letter written by teacher Hemlata Bairwa. The Mooknayak
My life is in danger
“I am a single woman. My life is in danger. I have trouble travelling alone for such a long distance. I always feel insecure. I have received death threats over the phone. I have a young daughter. I have mentioned all these things in my application, but I am still being harassed at the behest of the education minister,” said Hemalatha.
Cannot be posted under code of conduct
The Muknayak spoke to District Education Officer Baran Piyush Kumar Sharma regarding the case. He said – “We have received an application from the teacher. The code of conduct is in place right now. So we cannot take any action. The school is also closed. Any action will be taken only after June 4.”
What was the matter?
A Republic Day function was organised on 26 January 2024 in the premises of the Government Higher Primary School in Lakadai village under Nahargarh police station in Baran district. During this, there was a dispute first among the staff and then between the villagers and a female teacher over putting up a picture of Saraswati along with the pictures of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi on the stage and worshipping Saraswati. A video of the debate between the villagers and the female teacher during the dispute has also surfaced.
Hemalatha told The Mooknayak, “On Republic Day, as a government employee, I was performing my official duties to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the implementation of the sacred Constitution of India. Two teachers of my school first pressured me to perform Saraswati Puja. I refused to do Saraswati Puja as it was constitutionally wrong. After this, these teachers brought some rowdy people from the village and created a ruckus in the school to do unconstitutional work. I stood firm to protect the Constitution. One-sided action was taken against me for this because I am a Dalit.”
After this incident, a video of the state’s Education Minister Madan Dilawar went viral. In the viral video, Education Minister Dilawar said, “People are now questioning the role of Saraswati Maa in schools. They have become so big that they have still not mended their ways. I suspend the person who raised the question and make Bikaner the office of that person. I have given instructions to the officials in this regard just an hour ago,” the minister said this at a public meeting in Baran in February, where the attendees applauded his decision with the slogan ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
Soon after the minister’s speech on February 23, an order was issued by the Baran District Elementary Education Officer (Headquarters). It said that disciplinary action was being initiated against Bairwa and he was being suspended with immediate effect. Also, his headquarters had been shifted to Bikaner. Bikaner was about 600 km away from his home district.
