Karur (Tamil Nadu): Tamil Nadu's celebrated 'free breakfast' scheme for school children has faced an unfortunate controversy in Karur district, where more than half of the students at a government school refused to eat food prepared by a Dalit cook. The incident unfolded at the Panchayat Union Primary School in Velanchettiyur village near Aravakurichi.
Parents belonging to the Backward Caste and Most Backward Caste communities reportedly refused to allow their children to consume the meals prepared by a woman from a Scheduled Caste community, who was appointed by the government as the cook for the program.
In a show of solidarity, District Collector T Prabhu Shankar visited the school on September 5 and personally sampled the food prepared by the Dalit Cook. He also met with the parents of the affected students and sternly warned them about the consequences of perpetuating discrimination against the government-appointed cook.
The cook at the centre of the controversy, expressed her commitment to her role and her love for preparing meals for the children, despite the challenges. She disclosed that even though the pay was modest, she cherished the opportunity to serve the students. The cook, who has completed her education up to Class 12, spoke passionately about her role in the breakfast program, stating that she prepared the food with the same dedication as if she were cooking for her own children.