Rajasthan: Teacher suspended for asking tribal women not to wear sindoor and Mangalsutra

Jaipur, July 26 (IANS) The Rajasthan Education department has suspended a female teacher Maneka Damor for asking tribal women not to apply sindoor and wear a Mangalsutra, officials said here.Officials said on Thursday that action had been taken against the teacher for violating the Rajasthan Conduct Rules and tarnishing the Education Department’s image.At a mega rally held on July 19 at the Mangarh Dham in Banswara, Damor had said that tribal women should not follow what the Pandits say.”Tribal families do not apply sindoor, they do not wear Mangalsutra. Women and girls of the tribal society should focus on education. From now on, stop observing all the fasts. We are not Hindus.”The women of the tribal society had objected to Damor’s statements.The Joint Director of the Education Department has taken action in the matter and suspended the teacher.Maneka Damor is also a founder of the Adivasi Parivar Sanstha and is currently posted at the Government Higher Secondary School, Saadaa.Thousands of people from the tribal communities in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra were present at the mega rally.A political resolution to create a Bhil state was also passed here.–IANSarc/khz