13-year-old girl goes on 2-day fast, gets toilet

By HM Mahendra Kumar

A Class VII girl got a toilet built at her house in Talur village of Siruguppa taluk in Ballari district after she refused to eat or drink until it was constructed. H Mahankali heard of the importance of having a toilet at home at an awareness programme organised by the gram panchayat. She has now been named the icon of the village.

The 13-year-old girl studies at the government school in the village. A toilet had been allotted to her family in 2015-16, but nothing came of it. After attending the awareness programme in the first week of February, Mahankali returned home and refused food and water until her parents agreed to build a toilet. Her parents tried to reason with her, saying exams were near and going hungry may make her fall sick. Mahankali, however, persisted for two whole days without eating.


Village praises Mahankali’s determination
By the time Mahankali went two days without eating, the matter had reached the gram panchayat office and members urged her to call off her fast. She refused. Unable to stop the girl, the authorities began work on constructing a toilet outside their house. Work was completed in the second week of February.

“We don’t have a proper house. When my daughter refused to have food and drink water, I felt ashamed,” said H Mallesh. “I tried to convince her. The gram panchayat president, secretary and other members came to my house, talked to her and started work on the toilet. Now, people are talking of her determination. Overnight, she has become the ‘icon’ of our village.”

Panchayat president Rajagopal Reddy said, “When I heard about Mahankali’s demand, I called the secretary and discussed the matter with members. We went to her house and began construction of the toilet without delay. She smiled when the work began.”

Mahankali said, “I was inspired after attending the toilet awareness programme at school. I started the agitation almost blindly, but was very grateful it was successful.”