In Nazrul’s land, kitchens separate students from different faiths
The Statesman | 26 June 2025
Why two separate kitchens are there at a government run primary school for the students from two different communities, the SDM, Kalna, angry at the findings, ordered an inquiry on Tuesday.
“How could a government school arrange separate mid-day meal arrangement for the Hindu and Muslim students, that too in the district where our poet Kazi Nazrul Islam had insisted on questioning those who differentiate people by their religious beliefs,” asked Ganesh Goswami, a guardian. He lodged a complaint with the district authorities.
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Ganesh added: “If the students are taught untouchability by their school, how would they believe in the idea of unity in future?” asked Selim Mallik, another guardian, adding: “It’s not expected. We tried to protest earlier, but the authorities didn’t pay any attention to it.”
Sonali Majumdar cooks for the Hindu students at the Kishoreganj Manmohanpur Free Primary School in Kalna. She said: “I’m assigned to prepare food for 40 boys and girls at a separate kitchen. I am helpless as this arrangement is from the school authorities.” Her counterpart, Ranu Sheikh, cooks for the pupils from the Muslim community. She said: “Each day, I cook for 21 students.”
The food articles, though are same, the utensils are different. The two kitchens separated by a concrete wall, uses a single LPG cylinder for separate ovens. The cooks said: “This arrangement was made years ago and has now become a convention.”
The school’s organising committee has blamed a section of the guardians, who demanded such an arrangement. Tapas Ghosh has assumed charge as the headmaster of the school eight months ago. He too pleaded helpless with the issue. He said: “I’d convened a meeting with the guardians, but it failed to yield any effective outcome.”
The district administration meanwhile has taken a serious note of the situation. The SDM, Kalna, Shubham Agarwal said: “We’ve inquired into this. We won’t allow such a divisive practice in any school. I’ve already instructed the school inspector to put an end to this at the earliest.”