http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ahmedabad/Casteist_slur_Chaudhari_transferred/articleshow/2929495.cms
Casteist slur: Chaudhari transferred 6 Apr 2008, 0049 hrs IST,Bharat Yagnik,TNN AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government has finally shown how much it cares for its girls. The man, GN Chaudhari, who was at the root of the rot in the DIET-PTC Patan, which culminated in the gangrape of a Dalit girl, was transferred from DIET Mehsana on Saturday — not because of the gangrape, but for allowing a casteist slur against Dalits to be published eight times in a chapter of a book edited by him! The action shows how obviously votes matter more than a girl's modesty. Chaudhari was the principal of DIET Patan when the marks-for-sex scam was taking root, before he became principal at DIET Mehsana. The action came after a TOI expose on how Chaudhari, as principal of DIET Mehsana published this 331 page compilation of short stories, 'Vaartathi Vichaar', to be read out to primary school students after morning prayers, which contained the word 'dhed'* to describe a Dalit, eight times. In his defence, Chaudhari had told the team of Gujarat Council of Educational Research and Training (GCERT) which came to investigate on Friday that there was no "proof-reading" done, which is why the derogatory word got published. However, the GCERT found him responsible. Chaudhari, who is considered to be very close to state revenue minister Anandiben Patel, was transferred on Saturday to DIET Amreli. The controversial book, published in January 2008, carries 206 short stories from among 1,500 entries contributed by teachers working in Mehsana district. All 970 schools of Mehsana were provided copies of this book to be selectively read out in the morning assemblies at school. On page 289, the short story 'Vidya Vinaythi Shobhe', has used the derogatory term eight times on a single page. State education minister Raman Vora told TOI , "We have got the GCERT report which has indicted Chaudhari and we transferred him. Now, we will conduct a departmental inquiry and then take further action". Chaudhari, who was a part of the editing committee of this book, saw a controversial tenure as principal of DIET-Patan when girls from weaker sections, especially Dalits, were sexually harassed and gangraped. Calling a Dalit a 'dhed'* in Gujarat is the worst form of casteist abuse, punishable under the Atrocities Act. Those found guilty can be sentenced to six months of imprisonment. (*We have used the term only to put things in perspective. No offence was meant) ------------------------------------ -- Subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a BLANK email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/joinYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
