New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notice to the Gujarat government over the issue of a separate Anganwadi for the Dalit children in Hajipur village of Patan district. The Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that there are two separate Anganwadis, one for the children of Dalits and the other for the children of other castes, in Gujarat's Hajipur village.
The report stated that a three-year-old Dalit girl, who was lost in conversation with her four-year-old neighbour friend, walked towards Anganwadi no. 160 but was stopped at the gate and asked to go to Anganwadi no. 159 that was meant for Dalits. Anganwadi no. 160 is meant for the children of Patidars and Brahmins.
"The contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of Dalits," the Commission observed as it issued a notice to the Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Gujarat calling for a report within two weeks. According to the NHRC statement quoting the report published on November 5, in the village of about 2,000 people, Patels and Patidars constitute nearly 70 per cent of population. The 40 Dalit houses are spread over two mohallas of the village.
Anganwadi no. 159 came into existence in 1997 and three years later Patidars and the Brahmins demanded a separate Anganwadi for themselves and moved into the premises of the adjoining primary school, the statement said. The Anganwadi no. 160 now shares its space and entrance with the school and its boundary wall separating the two Anganwadis, the statement added.
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