Sick Padma Shri awardee 'forced to dance' in hospital by social worker: tribal community seeks action

A controversy has broken out in Odisha over a video apparently showing a sick Padma Shri awardee being forced to dance at a hospital.

Kamala Pujari, who is in her 70s, was allegedly forced to dance at the hospital before being discharged on 29 August 2022, as per reports. A social worker named Mamata Behera has been accused of forcing the Padma Shri awardee to dance despite being unwell. The social worker also danced with Kamala Pujari in the video.

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Leaders of the Paraja tribal community, to which Pujari belongs, demanded action against the social worker. The accused, Mamata Behera, has claimed that she had no bad intention, and wanted to shun Pujari’s laziness, according to news agency PTI.

Pujari was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2019 for promoting organic farming and preserving over 100 varieties of indigenous seeds of different crops including paddy. She was hospitalised over some kidney ailments.

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