Uttrakhand: An order was passed by the Uttrakhand Government’s Women Empowerment and Child Development Minister Rekha Arya to perform ‘Jalabhishek’ in ‘Shivalayas’ as part of the ‘Beti Bachao-Bato Padhao’ scheme to mark ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. But it has been strongly opposed by the All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFWH) calling it an effort to communalize ICDS services by the BJP-ruled state government.
The federation has demanded that government should rather immediately release arrears of payment of wages and funds for supplementary nutrition pending since February 2022 in Uttarakhand so that the Betis can be saved. The order issued by the Minister for Women and Child Development directs all the officers, staff, Anganwadi, Mini Anganwadi, and Helpers to visit their nearest ‘Shivalaya’ and perform ‘Jalabhishek’ in order to resolve that they will take forward ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ movement.
After performing the rituals, the officials, workers, and helpers have also been asked to send the picture to the concerned department via E-mail and also on WhatsApp to local officers. “It is a shocking violation of the Constitution of India and its secular fabric as well as the shameful withdrawal of the state’s responsibility to implement the PCPNDT act to stop female foeticide and provide basic services of food and health to the women and girls for them to survive,” said A R Sandhu, General Secretary of AIFAWH in a statement.
“It is ironic that in Uttarakhand, the payment of wages of Anganwadi workers and helpers and the funds for the supplementary nutrition is pending since February 2022. The Uttrakhand Anganwadi Sevika Sahayika Sangh (CITU) affiliated with AIFAWH has been demanding the payment of arrears. We demand the immediate disbursement of all arrears,” she added.
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She further said that Anganwadi workers and helpers belong to various religions and personal beliefs. There are Hindus, Muslims, Christians, tribals, and atheists who have different personal beliefs. No government or minister has any authority to ask them to perform a religious ritual as part of official work. AIFAWH has called upon the Anganwadi workers and helpers of Uttarakhand to oppose this order and boycott it.
The union pointed out that the payment of the 'central share of wages' was also pending since February in many parts of the country. ICDS budget is being cut down drastically and the workers are asked to find ‘sponsors’ for running the Anganwadi centers.
AIFAWH has been protesting across the country demanding the strengthening of ICDS with increased budget allocation for better infrastructure, quality supplementary nutrition, pre-school education and health services, for rights of workers and helpers for minimum wages, pension, and trade union rights. The federation is also going to organize. ‘Anganwadi Adhikar Mahapadav’ from 26 Jumy to 29 July at Janatar Mantar in New Delhi. State-level protests will also be held on 26 July 2022.
