Intolerance and exclusion have increased among adults, making for divisive attitudes in society. That is alarming enough. But when similar attitudes are displayed among schoolchildren in the junior classes, it is a sign of grave danger. The problems need to be addressed immediately and forcefully. Children pick up attitudes from home and the social environment they inhabit. Many seem to have learnt that eating non-vegetarian food is unacceptable — Indians should be vegetarian. Politicians from the ruling party and its sibling organisations have spread this tale which has no basis either in the past or the present. The idea that meat is polluting has become part of common parlance, while various moves to shut down shops selling meat, or remove them from main roads or the pathways of pilgrims are regularly reported. All this ultimately seeps into children. There have been incidents when a mother has asked that her child may not be seated next to a non-vegetarian student. Other children dislike it when their friends bring non-vegetarian food in their lunch boxes. The days of sharing food are over. Children are split into groups, which bodes ill for the future. There is also a problem of racist remarks and insults against the culturally different. Perhaps it should not be surprising that the cultural exclusivity and divisiveness prompted by the value system propagated by politicians of the ruling party in word and deed are finally influencing children.
Schools claim that they take firm steps when such incidents happen. Clearly, it is not possible for teachers to know all that is going on. But schools take the path of least resistance when events are concerned. They produce food that everybody can eat, which seems to mean vegetarian food. Schools are the only place where children can receive new and different ideas. Lessons about tolerance and peaceful co-existence, about the importance of cultural diversity and the value of education through exchange, simple good manners where no one turns up their nose at someone else’s eating habits or background should all be discussed. A logical development of the children’s attitudes is witnessed in higher study institutions where they can lead to suicide. Cultural hostility among children is a bad omen. But there is still time to address it however difficult the task may be.