ASHA workers’ protest grows, leaders face action

T'puram: Cantonment police have issued notices to the leaders of ASHA workers, who have been protesting for the past eight days in front of the state secretariat. A case was registered against the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association state president VK Sadanandan, general secretary MA Bindu and leaders S Mini, PK Rosamma and Shyla K John. They were accused of inciting unrest, disobeying police orders, unlawful assembly and obstructing public pathways.
The association leaders said that ASHA workers, who are ordinary women labourers working tirelessly day and night for public health safety, were being targeted with cases instead of addressing their vital demands. The govt initially attempted to undermine the protest by spreading false information about the workers' salaries and retirement benefits. When it failed and more people joined the protest with increased public support, the govt resorted to using the police to suppress the movement, they said.
In response to the police action, ASHA workers staged a protest march to the secretariat. Bindu said all ASHA workers would join a grand gathering in front of the secretariat on Feb 20 to protest the govt's anti-worker policies.
ASHA workers have been protesting demanding an increase in salaries, immediate payment of three months' overdue wages and retirement benefits. These demands were communicated to the health minister multiple times through petitions and were also raised during a direct discussion with the minister on the fifth day of the protest. However, no resolution was reached so far, Bindu said.
Meanwhile, Geevarghese Mar Coorilos will inaugurate the ninth day of the day-and-night protest by the ASHA workers on Tuesday. On Monday, MLA Mahesh, Congress leader Bindu Krishna, Aam Aadmi Party state president Vinod Mathew Vincent and representatives from various organisations came out in support of the protest.