BSP leader says Ballia administration trying to hush up caste discrimination at UP school; DM denies

A BSP leader claimed on Friday that the Ballia district magistrate misbehaved with him and his party colleagues when they were visiting a primary school to probe alleged caste discrimination against Dalit students.

District Magistrate Bhawani Singh Khangaraut, however, dismissed the allegations made by Bahujan Samaj Party coordinator Madan Ram.

Videos of Dalit students having their mid-day meal separately, away from students belonging to the general category and backward castes, at the primary school in Rampur and the argument between the DM and the BSP leader have gone viral on the Internet.

One of the videos also showed general and backward caste students using their own utensils and not taking meal in the plates provided by the school administration.

BSP leader Ram said when their party delegation was visiting the school, DM Khangaraut also arrived there on Thursday.

Ram alleged Khangaraut commented on his vehicle and clothes and misbehaved with him and other party leaders. He charged the administration with trying to hush up the matter.

BSP president Mayawati in a tweet has condemned the caste discrimination at the school and demanded strict action against the perpetrators to check recurrence of such incidents.

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

The school principal Purshottam Gupta said some children do have a feeling of being discriminated based on their caste.