Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, NCW, was Guest of Honour at “Valmiki Janjagriti Sammelan” at Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh. The programme was organized by Akhil Bhartiya Safai Mazdoor Sangh (ABSMS) at Agroha Bhawan, Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh on 25.08.2013. 

The Chief Guest included Ms. Meenakshi Natarajan, Member of Parliament and Ms. Smt. Kamlaben S Gurjar, Chairperson, National Commission for Safai Karmacharis. Ms. Neeta Harishji Dua, President, Municipal Corporation, Neemuch graced the occasion in addition to many dignitaries and office bearers of ABSMS i.e. Sh. Balkishan Sariye, Executive President, ABSMS, Shri Premkumar Dagar, National President, Shri Rajpal Mehraulia, Founder and National General Secretary, Shri Gautam Lodh, District President, Neemuch of ABSMS. 
After the welcome address and welcome of dignitaries, the foundation stone unveiling ceremony of Valmiki Community Center was performed. The Valmiki community Center is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 17.60 lakhs and funded by Ms. Meenakshi Natarajan, Member of Parliament, from MPLAD. The event was historic because till so far no Member of Parliament had specifically given respect and dignity to the Valmiki community by being among them. Ms. Meenakshi Natrajan in her inaugural speech stressed on the need for respecting every individual and right to life with dignity. 

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, NCW, said that the community center will engender a sense of community bonding and opportunity to the Valmiki Samaj to organize functions at affordable cost by providing a place to meet, hold social and cultural functions. In other words contributing to the development and environmental wellbeing of the community. 

The book titled ”Her Kaam Mein Hei Samman” was released on the occasion which speaks about the rights of women safai karmacharis giving them dignity. Speaking on the occasion the Member, NCW said that in India more than one million women safai karamcharis and girls clean human excreta off the dry walls of waterless latrines daily with the help of a broom or small tin plate. This practice results in causing serious health problems to the marginalised sections of society which are at the bottom of the social pyramid and put them in the vicious cycle of the poverty and health hazards. Majority of the women safai karmacharis are dalit and adivasi women and belong to traditional community doing specific work, e.g. Valmiki women. The Member emphasized the problems related with harassment of such marginalized women and their vulnerability to various risks and need for separate legislation to address this problem.

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