Caste Row in Odisha: Villagers Boycott Children's Anganwadi After Dalit Cook's Appointment, BJP Leader Visits

Families in Nuagaon village of Kendrapara, Odisha, have allegedly boycotted a local anganwadi centre after the appointment of Scheduled Caste cook Sarmistha Sethi. Attendance has dropped sharply, with most parents refusing cooked meals and rations.

Caste row disrupts anganwadi services in Odisha village

Families in Nuagaon village of Kendrapara district have allegedly stopped sending their children to a local anganwadi centre after a young woman from the Scheduled Caste community was appointed as a helper-cum-cook. The situation has continued for several months, affecting early childhood services meant for dozens of children and mothers.

The woman at the centre of the controversy, 21-year-old Sarmistha Sethi, joined the anganwadi on November 20 last year. She says children stopped attending soon after her appointment because of her caste identity. Officials have visited the village and promised action if civil rights are found to be violated.

Young graduate faces rejection in her own village

Sarmistha Sethi is the first person from her community in Nuagaon to graduate and among very few residents of the coastal village to secure a government job. Her appointment, which should have been a proud moment, instead led to social isolation for her and her family.

She travels daily by bicycle to the anganwadi centre, cleans the space, prepares for children and waits. Most days, no one arrives. Only two children from Dalit families continue to attend.

Sarmistha says she feels hurt not only for herself but also for her parents and elderly grandmother, who are facing mental distress. She had hoped the modest monthly income of about ₹5,000 would support her family and help her continue her studies to become a teacher.

Anganwadi meant for 42 children now nearly empty

The anganwadi centre officially serves 42 beneficiaries. Around 20 children aged between three and six are expected to attend daily for meals and learning activities. Another 22 younger children and a lactating mother receive take-home rations such as sattu, eggs and laddoos.

Since Sarmistha’s appointment, attendance has dropped sharply. Parents have allegedly refused both cooked meals and dry rations from the centre. Even those who earlier sent children for education or collected nutrition supplies have stayed away.

The centre was earlier run from the house of an upper-caste anganwadi worker due to lack of a permanent building. After pressure from villagers, that arrangement ended. Since February 6, the centre has been operating from a building in the village primary school.

Village tensions reflect deep social divide

Nuagaon is a small settlement located near the Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem. Social divisions exist along caste lines. Around seven Dalit families live at one end of the village, while nearly 90 upper-caste households are located separately.

Though most families depend on farming and face economic hardship, traditional social practices remain strong. Dalits generally stay separate during community feasts, and upper-caste families rarely attend their events.

Some villagers claim the boycott is a “collective decision”, though they avoid openly mentioning caste as the reason. One parent said villagers were unwilling to let their children eat food prepared by the new cook, adding that such a situation had “never happened before”.

Officials promise action if rights are violated

District officials have stepped in to resolve the dispute. Sub-Collector Arun Kumar Nayak visited the anganwadi and spoke with villagers and the worker, according to Indian Express report. He said no formal complaint has been filed but confirmed that villagers were refusing food from the centre.

Authorities have announced awareness campaigns and confidence-building measures. Officials plan to eat food cooked at the centre to encourage trust. They have also assured villagers that a permanent anganwadi building will be arranged.

The administration has warned that legal action may be taken if discrimination or violation of civil rights is confirmed.

Family speaks of fear, isolation and lost dignity

Sarmistha’s parents say the situation has left them feeling like outsiders in their own village. Her mother said villagers previously sent their children to Sarmistha for private tuition but now refuse her cooking despite her education and training.

Her father, a small farmer who studied only up to Class 4, encouraged all his children to pursue education. Sarmistha’s younger brother is studying in Bhubaneswar and her sister attends school locally.

Despite support from Dalit leaders and local representatives who have visited the village, the family has decided not to escalate the matter legally for now. They say they want peace within the village.

Education and nutrition services suffer most

The continuing boycott has disrupted essential government welfare services. Anganwadi centres play a key role in early education, child nutrition and maternal care. With children absent and rations unused, the community’s most vulnerable members are losing access to basic support.

Officials recently reported that villagers promised to send children back to the centre. However, similar efforts in the past did not fully restore attendance. The administration says it will monitor the situation closely.

For now, Sarmistha continues her routine each morning, hoping the village will change its attitude. Her experience highlights how social barriers can still affect access to public services in rural areas.

BJP Leader Visits Nuagaon Anganwadi

Baijayant Jay Panda, National Vice President of the BJP and five-time MP from Odisha, visited the anganwadi centre in Nuagaon, Rajnagar, along with his team. 

During the visit, Sarmistha Sethi served food to the delegation. The visit comes amid ongoing controversy over low attendance at the centre following her appointment as helper-cum-cook.

Shared Meal And On-Ground Review

The BJP leader reviewed the facilities at the anganwadi and interacted with staff and local community members. He shared a meal prepared at the centre and observed daily operations. The visit was presented as part of efforts to strengthen grassroots welfare delivery and assess challenges affecting early childhood services in the village.

'Proud to support anganwadi workers'

After the visit, Baijayant Jay Panda shared a video on X, stating that he focused on strengthening welfare delivery and gaining firsthand insight into the work of anganwadi staff. He said he was proud to support anganwadi workers and emphasised the importance of ensuring that every child receives proper nutrition and care at the grassroots level.