Caste bias at Nabha school: Ramoowalia offers Dalit girl free education, job in Bihar
NABHA : Former Union minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia visited the family of Nabha Dalit girl who is allegedly being harassed for not helping upper-caste boys cheat in the Class-10 board exam last year.
A five-member team headed by district education officer Kamal Kumari also visited the Tohra village school on Saturday to hold an inquiry.
Presently Uttar Pradesh member of legislative council (MLC) Ramoowalia talked to the girl Veerpal Kaur and her family members. He offered her to change her stream from humanities to medical and assured a seat in a nursing course at Mata Gujri Medical College and Hospital in Bihar. He gave her a written assurance in which he promised her a job after the course.
He contacted the Patiala deputy commissioner (DC) and the senior superintendent of police (SSP) to hold high official inquiry in the matter.
The MLC said he will take up the matter with Punjab chief minister and demand a fair inquiry.
“I have come here to bridge the gap between castes. Topper girls like Veerpal who come from poor economic background can also become Kalpana Chawlas if given healthy environment," said Ramoowalia. He also offered her monetary help.
The DEO on Saturday had said they had recorded the statements of those concerned and a report will be submitted in this regard.
On Sunday, Veerpal alleged that two members of the inquiry committee pressurised her to strike a compromise.
“I was told that the principal and the clerk will apologise to me in front of the entire school and end the matter here," she said.
The DEO didn't answer phone calls when reached out to comments on the allegations.
Jatinder Singh Mattu of the Scheduled Caste/backward Classes Employees Union said the incident took place in the constituency of SC welfare minister Sadhu Singh Dharmsot who should have listened to Veerpal’s grievances.
“Despite a video evidence of the girl being thrashed, no FIR has been lodged yet,” he said.