Dalit teacher not allowed to enter Karnataka anganwadi

TNN | Jul 29, 2023, 10.21 AM IST

TUMAKURU: A Dalit teacher has allegedly been denied entry into the anganwadi centre at Melekote village of Doddaballapur taluk in Bengaluru Rural district for over 10 months now, preventing her from discharging her duties.
A Anandamma, who belongs to Madiga community (SC), was working as an anganwadi helper at Rajaghatta. She was promoted as anganwadi teacher and transferred to Melekote village in September 2022.
However, Melekote villagers raised objection immediately, both to her promotion and posting at their anganwadi. They complained to the authorities and demanded that the woman, who is not from Melekote, be replaced with another teacher from their village. They also alleged that Anandamma stays in Doddarayappanahalli, 3km away.
Natraj S, deputy director, women and child welfare department, Bengaluru Rural district, told TOI, “After conducting domicile verification twice, the tahsildar had given a report stating that she is residing in Doddarayappanahalli, which is just 3km away from the centre.” As per rules, anganwadi teachers have to stay within 3km from the centre. Hence, she was given promotion as teacher and posted to Melekote, he added.

Anandamma said, “As I belong to an SC community, the villagers are not allowing me to work at the anganwadi. I made several attempts to enter the centre, but villagers stopped me. For the past 10 months, I’ve been coming here every day and they are not allowing me to work.” Anandamma explained that every time she tries to enter the centre, villagers, especially women, block her path and she is forced to stand outside.
Anandamma said she has requested the authorities to ensure an amicable resolution to the issue, as she has to work in the village by taking its residents into confidence.

Natraj said he has directed the child development project officer, Ravikumar E, to visit the village and convince the locals to allow the teacher to work.

Natraj has also told Ravikumar to hold a ‘grama sabhe’ on Monday with members of the gram panchayat and villagers of Melekote.

Srinivasamurthy BN, president of Melekote GP, said, “I was elected as president on July 26 and I got information about the incident through officials of the police department and social welfare department. They called me to find out the reason behind it. We have to follow ythe government order and allow her to work at the centre, as we are all equal in the eyes of the law.”

Officials of the social welfare and police departments visited the village on Friday.