Anganwadi worker Lakshmi and her assistant Shahanaz Begum attached to Gundur Anganwadi in Karatagi taluk of Koppal district have been suspended after a video clip in which the latter is seen taking boiled eggs back from children’s plates went viral.
Speaking to The Hindu, Koppal Deputy Commissioner Nalin Atul and Chief Executive Officer of Koppal Zilla Panchayat Rahul Ratnam Pandey confirmed the incident.
Programme Officer in the office of the Deputy Director of Women and Child Development in Koppal Gangappa said that the incident happened a week ago and the video clip went viral on Thursday. Anganwadis in the district function under this office.
In the video that has gone viral, children in the anganwadi, with boiled eggs served on their plates, are seen reciting “Asatoma Sadgamaya...” and later, the Anganwadi assistant is seen picking up the eggs from their plates after the completion of the prayer.
The anganwadi worker is also seen in the video.
“We exactly don’t know when this incident happened. As per preliminary enquiry, it happened a week ago. And, the video of the incident went viral on Thursday. The Deputy Commissioner and the Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat have directed the office of the Deputy Director of Women and Child Development to act swiftly. Accordingly, both the anganwadi worker and her assistant have been suspended, pending enquiry,” Mr. Gangappa told The Hindu.
He added that he has taken the decision in the absence of the Deputy Director of Women and Child Development who is on leave.
Mr. Gangappa said that several people in the village complained against the anganwadi worker and her assistant when he visited the village on Friday for enquiry.
Taking the incident seriously, Minister for Women and Child Development Lakshmi Hebbalkar has directed the Koppal district officers to look into the incident and take stringent action immediately.
“My government is doing everything to strengthen anganwadis and provide children with nutritious food. I am working hard to bring discipline in anganwadis. However, an anganwadi helper took back the boiled eggs served to children in Gundur village of Koppal district. I have directed the officials concerned to suspend the anganwadi worker and her assistant. I have also directed to take stringent action against the Child Development Project Officer,” Ms. Hebbalkar has said in her media communiqué on Saturday.
