Andhra Pradesh government came in for criticism in the Legislative Council for ordering the arrest of Indira Kranthi Patham animators who were heading to Hyderabad on Sunday to stage a dharna for their long pending wages.
Moving an adjournment motion on the issue in the Legislative Council here on Monday, member M.V.S.Sarma (PDF) said the government not only failed to pay the honorarium to nimators who played a critical role in taking various development and welfare programmes of the government to the people but also arrested the association leaders.
The entire opposition supported the motion and demanded that the animators be paid the pending dues of honorarium of the last 18 months.
When there was no positive response from the government, the PDF and other opposition members staged a dharna in the well of the House. However, the members resumed their seats when Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said though rules would not permit the government to pay the salaries of animators, he would talk to the animators’ association and redress their grievances.
Members said over 25,000 animators in the State had not been paid their monthly honorarium of Rs.2,000 for the past several months and they gave a notice to the government five months ago.
