BUXAR: In Bihar, several Class 10 students have abandoned gold jewellery to express their protest against the shame of having to go out into the open to defecate.
To acquire this facility which promotes both hygiene, security and saving themselves from constant shame — Richa, Joyti, Ranju, Rabina, Khushbu and Puja Kumari decided to wear their gold lockets only when they will not be forced to defecate in the open anymore.
They are six of 18 Class 10 students in a government girl high school in Bihar’s Buxar district, about 125km from Patna, who are still asked to defecate in the open as their houses lack toilets, a district official told IANS.
“During an inspection of school by a district administration official, Anupam Singh, the girls were asked if they did not have toilet in their homes and 18 of them raised their hands.
“The girls also said that they want toilets to be built so that they don’t have to defecate outside and expressed their shame and agony. They removed their gold lockets and handed them over to Singh and took an oath not to wear them unless their demands were met,” another official said.
“I was both happy and upset over their determination for a toilet as these girls are fully aware of the necessity of a toilet while they have been living without a basic need like that so far,” Anupam Singh said.
Interestingly, the girls revealed that their parents are neither poverty stricken nor facing any financial crunch but pointed out that the construction of a toilet never figured in their agenda.
“We are ashamed of living without a toilet that forces us and our mothers to defacate outside,” said Khushbu, adding that her parents were ignoring her repeated appeals for building a toilet at home.
Another class 10 girl, Puja said: “I, along with my mother, am forced to make our way to an open field every night under the cover of darkness to relieve ourselves.”
