Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar is facing heat over the suspension of a Dalit woman teacher on charges of hurting religious sentiments by refusing to worship Goddess Saraswati at the Republic Day function at her school in Baran district. Dalit groups here have registered strong protest and sought Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s intervention in the matter.
Hemlata Bairwa, Prabodhak level-1 teacher posted at the government primary school at Lakdai village in Baran district’s Kishanganj block, was placed under suspension last week, a day after Mr. Dilawar announced the action against her at a public meeting in the town. Ms. Bairwa was ordered to report at the Directorate of Elementary Education, Bikaner, during the suspension period.
Ms. Bairwa, who put up the pictures of Mahatma Gandhi, B.R. Ambedkar and Savitribai Phule at the school’s function on January 26, had refused to place a painting of Goddess Saraswati at the stage. When some villagers got into an argument with her and demanded that the Goddess be worshipped with flowers, the teacher refused to be cowed down.
The video clips of the incident depicted Ms. Bairwa as saying that Savitribai Phule should be respected for her contribution to education and asking what had Goddess Saraswati really done in the field of academics. The villagers were seen threatening her and accusing her of hurting Hindu religious sentiments.
This story was originally published in thehindu.com. Read the full story here.