Odisha: Anganwadi boycotted after appointment of Scheduled Caste cook

An Anganwadi in Odisha's Kendrapara has been boycotted for three months by families allegedly because the newly appointed cook, Sarmistha Sethi, belongs to the Scheduled Caste. Officials have taken note and promised to resolve the issue.

Families in Nuagaon village in Odisha's Kendrapara have allegedly stopped sending their children to a local Anganwadi after the appointment of Sarmistha Sethi, a cook from the Scheduled Caste category, in November last year.

Cook Speaks Out on Discrimination

Sarmistha Sethi, the cook, said she joined the Anganwadi on November 20, but students have not been attending because she is from the Scheduled Caste. She added that officials are aware of the situation. "I joined on 20 November last year. Students are not coming here because I belong to the Scheduled Caste. It has been three months like this. Something like this should not happen in the education sector. I am a cook here. The sub-collector officer and tehsildar also know about this issue," Sethi told ANI.

Official Response and Promised Action

Reacting to the situation, Sub-Collector of Kendrapara, Arun Kumar Nayak, said he visited the Anganwadi and found villagers refusing cooked food, though no official complaint has been received. He added that the issue will be resolved soon, and action will be taken if civil rights are violated. "I went there yesterday and inquired with a few villagers and the candidate herself. Although it was not clear from anyone, we have not received any complaint regarding any kind of caste issue. I came to know that villagers are not taking any cooked food from that Anganwadi centre. We will sort out the issue very soon. Tomorrow we will do a massive campaign. If it is a case of violation of civil rights, then we will act accordingly," Nayak told ANI.

Issue Raised in Parliament

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Thursday raised concerns over alleged caste discrimination at workplaces, referring to an incident in Odisha where some families reportedly refused to let their children eat food cooked by a Dalit Anganwadi worker.

Speaking during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said that in the 21st century, such discrimination undermines social reform and unity. He added that this Anganwadi centre had been boycotted for three months. Emphasising that anganwadis form the foundation of children's physical and cognitive development, Kharge said such practices impact their growth and violate the right to education under Article 21A of the Constitution.

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