Children Return To Odisha Anganwadi Post BJP MP Visit; Boycott Over Dalit Cook Appointment
The Anganwadi Centre in Nuagaon, Rajnagar, a village in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, had remained closed since November 21 last year, after Sharmistha Sethy, a Dalit woman, was appointed as a cook and a helper in the centre. Several upper caste families refused to allow their children to go to the facility or accept nutrition food supplied by the government for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
However, the upper caste students have returned to the facility and consumed food cooked by the Dalit woman, after MP and BJP national vice president Bijayant Jay Pand visited the Anganwadi centre and ate a meal prepared by the Dalit cook.
The BJP MP shared the images of his visit to the facility via X and his interaction with the staff, sharing a meal with local leaders and community members. “Delighted at Children having a nutritious meal today at the Nuagaon Anganwadi, which I had reviewed yesterday and had a wonderful lunch along with the local leader and villagers, he wrote. It was heartening to see the community coming together to ensure great beginnings for their children.
Of the 20 children on the rolls, 16 came to the Anganwadi centre on Monday and accepted the food cooked by Sethy. The four remained absent cited illness.
MP and BJP national vice president Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda on Sunday visited an Anganwadi centre in a village in Odisha’s Kendrapara district and ate a meal prepared by a Dalit cook after villagers allegedly boycotted the centre following the cook’s appointment. A day later, upper-caste children returned to the facility and consumed food cooked by the Dalit woman.
The Anganwadi centre had remained shut since November 21 last year, after Sharmistha Sethy, a Dalit woman, was appointed as a cook and helper. Several upper-caste families refused to send their children to the facility or even accept nutritious food items supplied by the government for pregnant women and lactating mothers.
“Focused on strengthening grassroots welfare delivery, visited the Anganwadi Centre in Nuagaon, Rajnagar. Reviewed the facilities & spent time interacting with the dedicated staff, shared a meal with local leaders and community members, and gained valuable firsthand insights into their tireless efforts and the heart of community participation. Proud to support our Anganwadi workers in ensuring every child gets the best start,” said Panda after he visited and had a meal at the Anganwadi centre on Sunday.
“Delighted at children having a nutritious meal today at the Nuagaon Anganwadi, which I had reviewed yesterday and had a wonderful lunch along with local leaders and villagers. It was heartening to see the community coming together to ensure great beginnings for their children,” Panda wrote on an X post on Monday.
For four months, Sharmistha and her family faced the social boycott for having dared to apply for the job and land it. In the last few months, since her appointment, Sharmistha used to drive to the Anganwadi centre with her bicycle and waited children to return. However, the attendance remained zero since November.
There have been attempts by the administration to bring the deadlock to an end, but remained unsuccessful.
Delighted with the return of the children, Sharmistha cooked rago ladoos and rice and dalma (a vegetable curry) for them. She hopes that caste discrimination will not lurk again in the village.
