MANDYA: Several villagers of Aalakere in the district have pulled out their wards from the Government Model Higher Primary School in the village on the grounds that their religious feeling have been hurt as eggs are being distributed to children under the midday meal scheme.
The school had a strength of 127 students and now, more than 70 children have been pulled out and ar being sent to other schools. Locals say some more parents are likely to seek transfer certificates for their wards, which will leave the school with very few children.
The school at Aalakere is located close to the Veerabhadra Swami temple and most of the villagers are against serving eggs to the schoolchildren claiming that it hurts their religious feelings. They pointed out that sale and consumption of meat and eggs is barred around the temple.
For the last few years, all the children in the school were being provided with bananas instead of eggs. However, a few weeks ago, parents of some students insisted that their children be provided with eggs at the school. When the villagers took up the issue with the officials, they were told that as per rules, even if one child asks for eggs, it should be provided.
“Our religious sentiments are hurt by serving eggs to the children in the school as it is close to the temple. We are not asking for the Constitution to be changed, we only want the system that was in place earlier to be followed. More than 70 children have been pulled out of the school and more are likely to follow. About 55 of those children are going to a school in neighbouring Keelara while some others are going to other schools”, said Abhinandan Patel, a local.
“The deputy commissioner had visited the village and held a meeting and we appealed that alternatives be explored. For the last few years, we had unanimously agreed that bananas will be given to the schoolchildren. But just a couple of families were insistent on eggs being served to their children. The DC also cited rules to provide eggs”, said another villager.
