Report by Amarnath Parida; Paradip: Some upper class people in Paradip port city have not only assaulted and insulated one Dalit Aganwadi worker but also forced her to give resignation from this post as she is ‘harijan’ by caste. Meanwhile, harassed Dalit Aganwadi worker has sought the intervention of police and higher authority of women and child welfare department to give justice.
While SC ant ST communities have not yet got justice on anti-dalit remark of Minister, another controversy erupted out of dalit aganwadi worker’s preparing food for the children at Integrated Child Development centre at ward no 18 of Sandkuda area under Paradip municipality. Some upper class people including councilor of Paradip Municipality and others have not allowed to one dalit woman aganwadi worker as she is harijan by caste other wise guardians have threatened not to send their children to this centre to receive food from harijan woman worker.
Nearly 58 ICDS centers have been opened at 18 different wards of Paradip Municipality to provide nutritional support to children up to six years from impoverished parental background on the occasion of Utkal Divas. As per the decision of women and child welfare department, each ICDS centre should form Mothers committee to monitor supply of cooked and dried food for these children.
One Aganwadi worker Manorama Jena who is working as aganwadi worker at Gaudapada area in ward no 18 in Paradip Municipality called Mother’s meeting to expedite special nutrition programme in this ICDS centre. She also invited councilor Mr Askhya Parida and others to supervise this programme for proper implementation of SNP.
Before start of Mothers committee meeting, locals including guardians restricted the entry of aganwadi worker Mrs Jena to this meeting as she is ‘harijan’ by caste. She was vehemently restricted by the guardians and councilor not to provide cooked food or to touch the dried food to upper class boys and girls in this centre.
It is found that department has not yet appointed helper to cook the food or to provide dried food in which aganwadi workers are doing both activities including care to children and to cook food for them at 58 ICDS centers in Paradip Municipality.
This has lead chaos and conflict between two groups in Mother’s committee meeting in which aganwadi worker threatened not to stop cooking food at any cost whether boys and girls come or not to this centre.
Being aggrieved on the threat of worker Jena, councilor Mr Parida and another one Tiki Patra scolded her in filthy language by saying as ‘harijan’. They also threatened to nude her on the street if she will attempt to come this ICDS centre. They have forced to stop the supply of food or to give her resignation from this post otherwise single child would come to this centre.
Jena has brought the matter before the notice of the IIC of Paradip police station and officials of women and child welfare department. She has also lodged an FIR in police station to take action against councilor and others for anti dalit remark and restriction the supply of cooked food.
IIC of Paradip police station Mr Anil Mishra has expressed that police has registered a case against councilor and another one under section 3 (I) (X) Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and 294, 354 & 34 IPC. Police is investigating the case so no one has yet arrested so far- he added.
Coordinator, District Ambedkar SC and ST association Mr Pitamber Tarai has expressed that government should instruct the Paradip police to arrest all the accused persons without delay and provide security to the victim Jena.
District Social Welfare Officer Mrs Kumuduni Sahu has expressed ‘no helpers have yet appointed at 58 ICDS centers in Paradip so workers are preparing food for children. There is no question to stop the supply of cooked food at Gaudapada centre on caste issue’ she added.
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