New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government, after taking suo moto cognizance of a report published in a paper on how colourful wrist bands are used by schools in southern districts to identify the caste of students. The commission, in a statement, issuing notices to the Principal Secretary in Social Welfare Department and District Collector, called for a factual report within two weeks. “The content of the press report, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights,” it said.
The Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that in schools of Tirunelveli district, caste comes in shades of red, yellow, green and saffron.This is what the students wear on their wrists, foreheads, around their necks, under their shirts, indicating their caste. In this belt in southern Tamil Nadu, known for violent caste conflicts between OBCs and Dalits, these bands are markers that tell children who is a friend, who is not.
While these dominant communities use markers such as wrist bands to single out and subjugate Dalits, these were ways of asserting themselves. The content of the press report, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights," observed the Commission while issuing notices to the Principal Secretary in Social Welfare Department and District Collector, Tirunelveli, calling for a factual report within two weeks.
The District Collector had asked the education department to ban wrist bands in schools. There was no written order but only a direction issued during a meeting of the education department. However, there were also other caste markers as well.
Reportedly, a Dalit student of a school in Tirunelveli town said the 'pottu' (bindi or tilak) worn by students were also colour coded. Any deviation from the colour scheme may invite questioning by the other communities.
