A school for Harijan children?

The story of a Harijan community setting up its own school for its children in Gaibandha would have been cause for celebration if it didn't highlight a shameful fact. That Harijans are treated as 'untouchables' by the larger society. The accounts of members of this hardworking community in the report in this paper on Friday gives a mere glimpse of the years of discrimination and ostracism these people have had to face and continue to endure.

We are appalled to learn that Harijan children are treated with disdain: they are ignored by their classmates and excluded from games and cultural events. They feel isolated and humiliated; many drop out of school. Needless to say that such abhorrent discrimination perpetuated by school administrations, is unacceptable. It seems that despite the categorical rejection of all forms of discrimination in our Constitution, there are small, helpless communities that continue to bear the brunt of social exclusion.

We strongly protest such blatant racism which has not been adequately addressed by the government. It is the state's responsibility to ensure that all children get equal access to education, regardless of their ethnic or economic background. Most Harijans are too poor to send their children to school; in many cases they are refused jobs because of their ethnicity.

The government must immediately take steps to stop this social isolation by making sure members of this community get equal opportunities to be educated, acquire skills and be employed in better paying jobs. Passing the draft Anti-discrimination Act (applying to all marginalised groups) that has been placed before the Law Ministry, in the next parliamentary session, would be a good start. As a society we must accept Harijans as equal citizens, so that there will be no need for them to set up separate schools for their children.