Anganwari workers meet minister, postpone plan for agitation

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 12

Following a meeting with Punjab minister Aruna Chaudhary, members of the All India Anganwari Mulazim Union have announced that since they have been assured by the minister that their demands will be heeded, they have postponed their plan of sending a letter of their demands, written in blood to Aroosa Alam, a “friend” of CM Capt Amarinder Singh and also dropped their plan to start an indefinite hunger strike in favour of their demands.

Hargobind Kaur, state president of the union, said an 11-member delegation had met the minister during which OSD to CM Sandeep Singh Brar was also present.

“After listening to our demands, the minister assured us that the state government would agree to their demands and a final meeting will be held on July 17 during which the announcement will be made. She also assured us that before July 17, the delegation will also be given time to meet Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Education Minister OP Soni,” she said.

The anganwari workers also made it clear that although they were postponing their protest plans, the indefinite protest by anganwari workers and helpers outside the District Administrative Complex will continue and in case the state government fails to issue the notification in favour of their demands by July 17, the union would resume its stir and intensify its protest.

Demanding increase in their salaries and brining back all the children to anganwari centres from pre-primary classes in the government schools, the union members had earlier announced that they would take out protest rallies between June 13 and 16 to display the letter addressed to Alam before sending it to her. The union had also announced that starting June 16, 31 anganwari workers and protesters would begin hunger strike unto death in Bathinda.