There is nothing despicable in making students clean toilets used by them in schools as it would inculcate value system and fulfil the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, according to the Madras High Court Bench here.

Justices V. Ramasubramanian and V.M. Velumani made the observation while disposing of a public interest litigation petition filed by a VCK cadre accusing government schools of making students clean toilets.

Wondering how could a plea to restrain schools from making students clean toilets could be made in public interest, the judges said society’s outlook towards cleaning of toilets was one of the reasons for the birth of caste system. Authoring the judgement for the Division Bench, Mr. Justice Ramasubramanian pointed out that Mahatma Gandhi had advocated cleaning of toilets as one of the means to get rid of the caste system besides stripping every individual’s ego.