Video showing discrimination against Dalit students in UP goes viral, probe ordered

A video purportedly showing Dalit students eating mid-day meals separately from other students at a primary school has gone viral following which an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

The video also shows that general and backward caste students bring their own utensils and do not have their meals in plates provided by the school as Dalit students use them.

Taking note of the video, District Magistrate Dr Bhawani Singh Khangaraut visited the school on Thursday morning to take stock of the situation.

"Prima facie there is no basis to reports of discrimination with Dalit students in the school. However, a detailed inquiry by a joint magistrate level officer is being ordered to look into the matter in detail," the DM said.

However, principal of the primary school, Purshottam Gupta, said children do "have some feeling of discrimination".

BSP president Mayawati took to Twitter to express concern over the incident.

"The news of Dalit students being made to sit separately and eat in a government school in Ballia is most condembable and sad. The BSP demands that the state government immediately take strict legal action against the perpetrators of such disgusting racist discrimination so that others get a lesson and such cases do not recur," Mayawati said.