Employees’ union holds protest in solidarity with anganwadi workers

Amritsar, January 25

Joining several organistions and unions, who are showing solidarity with the protesting anganwadi workers in Andhra Pradesh, the Democratic Employees’ Federation (DEF) along with anganwadi workers from the district on Thursday brunt an effigy of Andhra CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy against his government for implementing the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and arresting several workers instead of negotiating with them.

The anganwadi workers in Andhra Pradesh initiated a strike in December last year, demanding the Jagan Mohan Reddy government to hike their salary, gratuity benefits and increase the retirement age to 62 like any other government department after the SC made anganwadi workers eligible for the same.

Addressing a rally, Democratic Employees’ Federation state president Germanjit Singh Chhajalwadi said about one lakh anganwadi workers in Andhra Pradesh should get increased salaries as promised by the ruling government. “For the last one and a half months, the government employees have been on a strike to get their status, but instead of meeting their demands, hundreds of anganwadi workers were arrested,” he said.

Earlier this month, the Andhra Pradesh Government had invoked provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) banning agitations and asking the protesting workers to return to duties. But protests continued and two days ago, the government issued instructions to authorities concerned to dismiss the anganwadi workers from service if they did not join their duties. Later, the protesters were detained by the police after they tried to hold a march in support of their demands.