PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, 9th November, 2015

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that in Hajipur village of District Patan in Gujarat there are two separate Anganwadis, one for the children of Dalits and the other for the children of other castes. A few weeks ago, a three year old Dalit girl, lost in conversation with her four year old neighbour and friend, walked towards Anganwadi No. 160 but was stopped at the gate and asked to go to Anganwadi No. 159, the Anganwadi for the children of Dalits. The Anganwadi No. 160 is meant for the children Patidars and Brahmins.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of Dalits. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Secretary, Department of Women & Child Development, Government of Gujarat calling for a report within two weeks.

According to the media report, carried on the 5th November, 2015, in Hajipur, a village of about 2000 people in Patan district of Gujarat, Patels and Patidars constitute nearly 70 per cent of population, whereas the 40 Dalit houses are spread over in 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 Anganwadi No. 160 now shares its space and entrance with the school and its boundary wall separating the two Anganwadis.

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