The National Commission for Scheduled Castes Vice Chairman L Murugan visited the Kurayur panchayat union government school on Tuesday, and directed the Chief Educational Officer to conduct a special drive to admit at least 10 Dalit students within this week.

Murugan visited to school to inquire into the facts of a report published in TNIE, which highlighted that not a single Dalit student had been admitted to the school in the last 40 years due to the rampant practice of untouchability.  

While officials claimed that their overtures to the Dalit parents had been futile, their statement was disputed by members of the community. During discussions, caste Hindus claimed there was no discrimination in the village. However, Dalit villagers had a different story to tell. They claimed that the two-tumbler system was still in practice at tea stalls in the village. Untouchability had percolated to even government facilities such as TNSTC buses.

When Murugan exhorted them to admit their wards to the panchayat school, the answer was no, as the people feared for the safety of their children. The community opposed the present location of the school — in front of a Muthu Ramalinga Thevar statue — and wanted it relocated to a neutral place.