Manorama Jena. Telegraph picture

Paradip, April 6: Recruitment of a dalit woman at a government-run childcare centre in Paradip has ignited an ugly caste row.

The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) centre in the ward No. 18 of Paradip Municipality is embroiled in an unsavoury caste conflict with the upper-caste parents shying away from sending their children to the centre because a Dalit anganwadi worker is running it.

Branding the Dailt woman as ‘untouchable’, the harried members of the parents’ and mothers’ committee have sought for her immediate removal from the childcare centre.

The victim, Manorama Jena, has lodged an FIR against the councillor of the municipal council and some parents alleging that ill treatment was meted out to her on the grounds of caste.

The district social welfare department has launched a probe into the issue.

“Police have received a complaint from the Dalit woman. A case under Sections of the Prevention of Atrocity Against Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes Act has been registered in connection with the incident. Because of the sensitive nature of the incident, we are thoroughly investigating the complaint to ascertain whether there is veracity in complainant’s claim,” said Shantanu Kumar Das, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Paradip.

“All hell broke loose during the course of the parents’ and mothers’ committee meeting held in the childcare centre on April 1. The members of the committee, including the municipality councillor, allegedly verbally abused her and warned her not to turn up at the centre anymore. They said the Dalit woman has no right to manage the centre where majority of enrolled children are from upper caste section,” said Kumudini Sahu, District Social Welfare Officer (DSWO), Jagatsinghpur.