Row erupts over school ‘kitchen divided by religion’ in West Bengal

A political row has erupted over food being cooked separately and by different cooks for Hindu and Muslim students at a school in West Bengal’s Purbasthali area in Purba Bardhaman district. The institution at issue is the Kishoriganj Monmohanpur Primary School, attended by nearly 70 students.

The school principal has said that he did not want this system to prevail in the school.

“Only the same gas stove is used for the meals; the cooks are different, the ingredients and utensils are separate, and we cook in separate rooms for Hindu and Muslim students,” one of the cooks, Banu Bibi told mediapersons.

The cooks also said the principal of the school had previously tried to join the two kitchens and solve the crisis but was unsuccessful as parents refused to let their children eat food made by a cook from the “other” community.

“Due to this the cost of preparing mid-day meals has also doubled. To stop this, we are trying to conduct a meeting with the parents of students,” Tapas Ghosh, the principal of the school said. He also said that there is no other communal tension between religious groups in the area other than discrimination related to food.

Police supervision

The issue caused a stir across the district and moved the district administration to take note. District Magistrate Ayesha Rani asked the sub-divisional magistrate to investigate the matter and submit a report.

After a meeting with the students’ parents on June 25 morning, the issue was resolved, and the two kitchens and cooks were made to cook together as police watched.

“There is a guideline for the mid-day meal cooking process. This cannot be violated. I have heard that in many places such incidents occur where Muslims do not eat anything other than halal meat,” according to Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, who is Leader of the Opposition.

Ruling Trinamool Congress party officials said that such communal sentiments are being planted in the hearts of the youth by the “discriminatory” practices of BJP leaders.