The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has issued a notice to the Telangana government, asking for an Action Taken Report (ATR) on remarks made by senior IAS officer Alagu Varsini. The Commission acted on its own after a video surfaced in which Varsini allegedly said that Dalit students in Scheduled Caste (SC) Gurukula schools clean toilets.
Varsini, who is Secretary of the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society, was reportedly addressing principals in an internal meeting when the remarks were made. In the video, she said: “They must do the room cleaning … why can’t they clean their own toilets … These children of ours, they are not from posh society, where as soon as they go and sit down, the meal comes on the table … If someone replies that you are doing work, by order they have to do roti making, they will do roti making.”
In a notice dated May 31, the NCSC directed the Telangana Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to respond within 15 days. The Commission also asked for full details about the context and contents of the remarks. If the authorities fail to respond, the NCSC may use its powers under Article 338 of the Constitution to summon officials.
Responding to the controversy, Varsini told India Today TV that the remarks were part of a longer 2.5-hour discussion. She explained that the context was about weekend “shamdan” or cleaning activities as part of the school calendar, covering areas like dormitories, toilets, and grounds. According to her, such activities are alternatives to programmes like the National Service Scheme (NSS), which is not active in their schools.
“Our children are not from posh societies. The annual family income cannot cross ₹2 lakh,” she said, explaining that many parents had requested the school to teach life skills. She said her remarks had been selectively edited to damage her image and dismissed the controversy as an attempt to politicize caste issues.
The Commission is currently awaiting the state government’s response.
