Thiruvananthapuram: The ongoing protests of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Anganwadi employees brought the Kerala assembly to a standstill Thursday, as the ruling Left Democratic Front and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) locked horns with each other.
During a discussion on the subject after the Opposition moved an adjournment motion, Industries Minister P. Rajeev alleged that the Anganwadi workers’ protest was conducted out of “political motives”.
“What is (Congress trade union) INTUC’s stand on the Anganwadi strike? Why are trade unions silent on the ASHA workers’ protest?” he said. “If UDF and BJP leaders show up at a protest site, Kerala will realise the politics behind it.”
Subsequently, the UDF members staged a walkout condemning the Left government’s apathy towards the protesters, who have been protesting in front of the state secretariat for over a month to seek post-retirement benefits and a hike in their honorarium.
Kerala has 26,175 ASHA workers and around 60,000 Anganwadi employees employed in 33,115 Anganwadi centres across the state.
Anganwadi workers, with the support of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), started an indefinite strike outside the secretariat on Monday. As multiple talks held with the government failed, three protesters Wednesday launched a hunger strike until their demands were met.
The protests by the two groups, who engage in grassroots level work, are likely to put the Left parties on the back foot in an election year. The polling for the 12,00 local bodies is expected to be held before December. The CPI(M)-led LDF had swept previous polls held in December 2020, winning three of six corporations, 10 of 14 district panchayats, and 35 of 86 municipalities, in addition to a majority of block panchayats and grama panchayats.
Though the LDF government is blaming the central government, the protesters said they expect the state to raise their demands to the Centre.
“We are working in the states. And where else should we raise our demands? We don’t know why CPI(M) is doing this. The longer we stay, the more harmful it’s for the party,” 51-year-old Bindu B, an ASHA worker employed in Thiruvananthapuram’s Kannamoola ward, told ThePrint.
The LDF government, according to Kerala-based political analyst C.R. Neelakandan, failed to understand the possible political ramifications of the protest.
“They (ASHA and Anganwadi workers) work closely with the people and have contacts at the grassroots level. There is also a public sentiment in support of their demand as most of the public was served by these volunteers during the pandemic. The Left should have made a stand to approve their demand and be a model for other States,” Neelakandan told ThePrint.
Oppn condemns govt’s apathy
During the discussion on the matter in the Assembly Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan alleged that the Anganwadi workers with much workload were not even paid the minimum wage of an unskilled worker in Kerala. The minimum daily wage for unskilled labour in Kerala is Rs 700.
“Kerala is witnessing two indefinite protests. ASHA workers have started a hunger strike today. Another one is the Anganwadi workers’ protest that is entering its fourth day. Why can’t we safeguard them? Why do they have to strike for their basic rights,” Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) MLA Njaeeb Kanthapuram said in the Assembly.
The MLA said the striking workers are the backbone of Kerala’s acclaimed health sector adding that the government’s apathy towards them was condemnable.
The Industries minister said the central government’s honourarium to the Anganwadi workers is Rs 4,500, of which 40 percent is borne by Kerala. He said the state government is also paying an additional amount to the Anganwadi workers to match a total payment of Rs 13,000 for people with over 10 years of experience and Rs 12,500 to the other section.
For Anganwadi helpers, the Union government’s honourarium is Rs 2,250, of which Rs 900 is borne by Kerala, he said adding that the State is paying Rs 8,500 for helpers with less than 10 years of experience and 9000 for people with over 10 years of experience. He said the employees are also eligible for certain performance-based incentives.
“Though it’s a central government initiative, 80 percent of the expense is borne by the state government. When the initiative started, the central government used to pay 75 percent of the salary to programme officers, supervisors, etc. But now, the Centre is paying zero percent. The State government and the Left think their demands should be met. But the Union government should decide this,” Rajeev said, adding that the Congress, instead of questioning the Centre, along with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was “exploiting” the workers.
The current protest, he alleged, had political motives as the protesters went ahead with the protest on 18 March even when the state had promised to look into the demands during a discussion with the trade union leaders.
Before walking out of the House in protest, Satheesan asserted that the UDF had raised the salaries of Anganwadi workers.
“The UDF government had increased Anganwadi workers’ wages from Rs 550 to Rs 7,000 during its tenure. Today, these employees work long hours with heavy workloads…,” the Congress leader said. “I support ASHA, Anganwadi workers because their demands are just. Not because the BJP or anyone else supports it.”
(Edited by Tony Rai)
