Sorada: Nearly 70 years after the country got independence, the spectre of untouchability rules the roost in rural Orissa. Twelve tribal children belonging to three villages were not allowed to attend a local Anganwadi centre as they belong to a low caste. Over 70 tribal families live in these three villages of Kendupalli, Rangamatia and Gudipalli under Hukuma panchayat under this block in Ganjam district.
The children alleged that Petagarh Anganwadi centre struck off their names from the list as they are untouchables. “Our children are not allowed to attend the Anganwadi centre because of low caste,” alleged locals. The victims included Rabi Mallick, Ghasiram Mallick, Susant Mallick, Bangali Mallick, Shankar Mallick, Babula Mallick and Balram. Their wards have stopped attending the centre for five months now, they alleged.
The children were not allowed to eat inside the Anganwadi centre as their presence was considered inauspicious, they alleged. They are ordered to take the served food to their home. The kids are not able to carry the cooked food home and the food invariably gets spilled on the road, parents alleged. The tribal locals fail to approach the administration as they are illiterate. The Anganwadi centre is just 300 metres from the villages but our children are not allowed to enter it, the parents said.
The children are also not allowed to use borewell water. “Our children fall ill due to the use of contaminated water as we are not allowed to use the borewell,” locals said.
In some cases, the tribal families are threatened with dire consequences if they try to open their mouth in this regard, locals alleged. Irate over the issue, locals demanded immediate steps to stop discrimination against tribal children and immediate suspension of the Anganwadi worker. “Untouchability is a curse for society and our children and it won’t be allowed,” an aggrieved parent said.
PNN
