National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) vice-chairman L. Murugan said it was not right that the district administration transferred two Dalit anganwadi workers to other centres in the midst of a caste clash at Valayapatti.
Speaking to reporters at the village, Mr. Murugan said the ICDS officer, who had orally ordered the two women to work in other centres, had been served a show-cause notice.
“The administration says the two women were transferred to other villages. This is not right, especially when a caste clash is taking place. We will host a meeting post the visit and deliberate. If necessary, we will take action under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989,” he said.
On June 4, an anganwadi worker M. Jyothilakshmi and a helper M. Annalakshmi, who were appointed to work at S. Valayapatti, were forbidden from continuing there.
A group of people from the intermediary caste in the village went to the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) office at Tirumangalam block and sought their transfer saying that their children would not have the food prepared by Dalit women.
There had been tension between the two communities since April.
It reached its peak on June 8 when members of the an intermediary caste vandalised the houses in the Dalit Colony over an alleged temple festival.
Mr. Murugan, who inspected the Dalit Colony, said the authorities would repair the dilapidated anganwadi within 15 days.
The vice-chairman of the commission said the Dalits were given ration supplies separately at a library because the intermediate caste people did not allow them inside the village.
“This is unacceptable. There will be only one ration shop here,” he said to officials, including Collector (in-charge) S. Shanta Kumar.
