This article examines the boycott of an Anganwadi centre in Balangir, Odisha, following the appointment of a Dalit (Scheduled Caste) woman as helper-cum-cook. Using this incident as a starting point, it explores how food, care, and public trust continue to be shaped by caste and untouchability. The article argues that while development policies and the language of SC/ST brotherhood are important, they cannot produce equality if Dalit dignity remains conditional. It calls for a critical rethinking of solidarity, recognition, and the state's responsibility to uphold constitutional equality in everyday life.