Dalit anganwadi worker consumes poison at collectorate

Ahmedabad: An dalitanganwadi worker from Liya village of Viramgam, consumed a poisonous substance at Ahmedabad district collectorate on Friday, in protest as police allegedly refused to register her complaint of atrocity despite several attempts.

Bhaniben Parmar, 37, has been admitted to the trauma centre at Civil hospital, after she drank phenyl at the Ahmedabad district collectorate near RTO Circle in the city.

According to her relatives, she and her husband last month held a religious function and a feast for villagers. A dominant caste member, Khoda Patel, made the other villagers boycott the event as it was being hosted by dalits.

Kanu Parmar, Bhaniben’s brother-in-law, said Patel had later made complaints at anganwadis to have Bhaniben removed from her job. As this did not work, Patel started threatening her and her family. Bhaniben’s family of five were forced to leave the village on April 6 by members of the dominant caste, and she approached police to file a complaint.

Despite several attempts, cops at Viramgam did not lodge an FIR, which led Bhaniben to consume poison in protest at the Ahmedabad district collectorate on Friday. “Had we got justice from the police and state authorities, she would not have had to consume the poison,” he said.

He added, “Members of the dominant caste had threatened Bhaniben with dire consequences and even the rape of her two minor daughters.”

Senior doctors at Civil hospital said Bhaniben’s condition is stable and the poison did not do any major internal damage.

Had written to PM

Bhaniben had on April 7 written to PM Narendra Modi, seeking justice. “I belong to a scheduled caste and work at an anganwadi. I have been constantly harassed, physically and mentally, by members of a the dominant community. I have made representations to various departments on April 6, regarding the harassment, but my harassers have been threatening me with dire consequences like burning down my house and raping my two minor daughters. I will sit on indefinite fast if no actions is taken on the issue,” reads Bhaniben’s letter. A copy was also marked to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani.

Source: The Times of India