Mumbai, Aug 21: An anganwadi worker who was sacked after she posted a video claiming uncookable foodgrains had caused stomach pain in children was reinstated on Friday following backlash from Opposition leaders, even as a ruling party MLA acknowledged that such quality issues existed statewide.
Anganwadi worker reinstated
The Pune Zilla Parishad on Friday reinstated Reshma Pardhi, a tribal anganwadi worker from Ambegaon tehsil, after coming under fire from the Opposition parties.
In a video posted on social media in July, Pardhi claimed that yellow peas supplied for children's mid-day meal had failed to cook even after extensive pressure cooking.
She alleged that children suffered stomach aches after eating the food and subsequently refused to consume it.
Pardhi noted that other coarsely ground grains supplied to the anganwadi were equally difficult to cook. She questioned the feasibility of storing and managing a four-month supply under such conditions.
"I request the government not to play with our children," Pardhi said in her appeal, requesting Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe to intervene and inspect the food supply.
Action and controversy
Following this, the Pune Zilla Parishad sought an explanation from Pardhi, alleging that her video had tarnished the image of the state government.
In her written explanation submitted on July 31, Pardhi said she had raised the issue with good intentions and only wanted children to receive nutritious food.
The explanation, however, did not satisfy the authorities and she was sacked on August 17, triggering sharp criticism from opposition parties.
The development also prompted ruling NCP MLA and former state minister Dilip Walse Patil to acknowledge that complaints about foodgrain quality were not confined to Ambegaon and that similar concerns had emerged from other parts of Maharashtra.
Leaders raise food quality concerns
Walse Patil, who represents the Ambegaon assembly constituency, said the procurement of such foodgrains was handled at the commissioner or state level and assured that he would raise the matter with the concerned secretary and minister.
"If the anganwadi worker had lodged an official complaint with her superiors and did not receive a response, the officials responsible should be held accountable," he said.
NCP (SP) Lok Sabha member Amol Kolhe, whose Shirur constituency includes Ambegaon, attacked the administration over its decision to terminate Pardhi.
"Such action is extremely unfortunate. This is a classic case of letting the thief go free while punishing the innocent," Kolhe said, arguing that the worker should instead have been commended for exposing the problem.
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Kolhe also pointed to a recent incident in Junnar taluka, where turmeric and chilli powder used in children's meals were allegedly found adulterated, and demanded a state-level inquiry into the quality of food supplied to anganwadis and schools.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar also criticised the government, saying the authorities had targeted the worker instead of the suppliers.
Termination order cancelled
Amid the backlash, the Pune Zilla Parishad on Friday issued an order reinstating Pardhi and cancelling the earlier termination order.
The order said Pardhi had been terminated as a disciplinary measure but subsequently filed an appeal before the government and submitted an apology for her mistakes.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
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