Dalit cook’s transfer order revoked

It started when Pappaal (42), the Dalit cook, was transferred to a government high school in her native Thirumalai Goundanpalayam village near Avinashi in Tirupur district on July 17. Earlier, she had been working for over 12 years in a school at Adi Dravidar Colony.

Pappaal allegedly faced the wrath of the dominant caste parents from the very first day. They were opposed to a Dalit cooking food for their children under the noon meal scheme. They had also made arrangements to appoint a substitute cook to cook food for their children.

C Nandagopal, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front alleged that the dominant community parents also tried to lock down the school.

They complained to the school headmistress, who informed the Block Development Officer at Avinashi, about the issue.

Within a day of her joining, Pappaal was on July 18 transferred back to the school, where she was serving earlier.

However, Tirupur Sub Collector Swarankumar revoked the transfer order on Thursday after parties such as CPI (M), DMK, CPI and Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam resorted to a road roko. He asked the police to ensure protection to the woman and directed Sevur police to file an FIR on the complaint of the Dalit cook against the Caste Hindu parents. A case has been registered under the SC/ST Act against 75 individuals.

Pappaal said she had sought a transfer to her village as it was an ordeal for her to travel 16 kilometres and take a long walk to reach the previous school. “I felt happy when I was posted here as I could cook for children from my native village. But it pains me that some people are against my appointment citing caste reasons. I should also be treated like a human being,” she said.

It wasn’t the first time that Pappaal is getting transferred over caste reasons. She was transferred from Thirumalai Goundanpalayam Government school in 2006, which was her first posting, to a school at Kantayipalaiyam following protest. After being transferred to three schools in the first month of her job, she joined the school at Dalit colony and served there for the last 12 years.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Scheduled Caste has sought a report from the District Administration within three days. It has also summoned the Collector, the Superintendent of Police and Education officials for an inquiry in New Delhi on July 30.