Bhubaneswar/ New Delhi, February 12: Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, raised his concerns over caste-based discrimination in workplaces, highlighting a recent incident in Odisha where children of a particular community were reportedly prohibited from eating food cooked by a Dalit anganwadi worker in Kendrapara district of Odisha.
During the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Kharge said, "In the 21st century, as we discuss social development, reform, and unity, a particular community in Odisha is refusing to let their children eat food prepared by a Dalit woman working as a helper-cum-cook in an Anganwadi centre. This anganwadi has been boycotted for the past three months."
He emphasized the critical role of anganwadi centres in shaping children's physical and cognitive development, pointing out that caste-based discrimination in such environments adversely impacts their growth. "Such discriminatory actions undermine children's development and affect their right to education, as guaranteed by Article 21A of the Constitution," he added.
Kharge also pointed to the growing reports of workplace caste discrimination across the country, stressing that earlier investigations could have helped prevent further incidents. "These incidents are not isolated; they show that caste-based discrimination is pervasive in not just social and political spheres but also in workplaces. This harms people's dignity, career progress, and personal safety," he said.
The Congress leader recalled disturbing incidents from other states, such as an attack on an Adivasi person in Madhya Pradesh, where an individual had urinated on the victim, and a tragic case in Gujarat last year where a Dalit government officer took his own life due to caste discrimination.
Kharge further stressed that such discriminatory practices violate the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, and 17 of the Constitution. He urged the government to take immediate action to investigate such incidents, ensuring timely intervention to prevent further cases of caste-based discrimination in workplaces.
