‘We know the aim of those behind stir’

SLUG- Govindan blames rainbow alliance
T'puram: State secretary MV Govindan said on Friday that CPM was trying to expose the political objectives of the rainbow alliance behind the ASHA workers' strike against the state govt. "We do not question the democratic right to protest and nobody opposes it. But CPM knows the objective of the strike and those behind it. Media and bourgeois political parties are trying to evolve the strike as an anti-Left movement in the name of ASHAs," he said on Friday.
Govindan said Congress and BJP were working as part of the rainbow alliance, of which SUCI, Jamaat-e-Islami and SDPI were part. He reiterated CPM's argument that ASHAs, being workers under a central govt scheme, should have protested against the Centre. "They get the maximum honorarium in Kerala. Centre can decide on increasing their honorarium. The ongoing strike is led by anti-LDF forces and CPM is trying to expose it," he said.
LDF convener TP Ramakrishnan echoed similar views. He said that Thursday's LDF meeting had decided to extend support to the govt in its fight against politically-motivated campaigns. Ramakrishnan said LDF and the govt were not against ASHA workers' demand for better wages. "Who is capable of increasing their wages? Only the central govt can do that. The state govt is sympathetic towards their strike," he said.
The LDF convener said ASHA workers should be designated as workers and governed by labour laws. He said the media was unnecessarily targeting health minister Veena George in connection with the strike.
Meanwhile, Govindan said Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan would inaugurate CPM's new state committee office near AKG Centre on Apr 23. The nine-storied office will have modern facilities.