Anganwadi workers organised massive protests in the Coastal Andhra districts on Tuesday, in protest against the denial of permission for the proposed ‘Chalo Assembly’ programme and to bring pressure on the government to address to their woes, with increase of wages topping the bill.
The workers organised a human chain at the busy Day and Night Junction in Srikakulam and raised slogans against the government. CITU leaders D. Govinda Rao, Tejeswara Rao, Ganesh, Aruna and others alleged that the government had failed in conceding the genuine demands of Anganwadi workers. “Many of the workers are forced to work for a meagre wage of Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 4,000 per month,” they said.
With situation going out of control owing to the protesters going violent, the police resorted to lathicharge and used additional force to clear the mob and the traffic. Majority of protesters were taken into police custody. Mr.Govinda Rao said that the people would teach a lesson to the government as it was adopting “anti-people’s policies”.
Anganwadi workers from East Godavari district burnt the effigy of the State government at the Collectorate here on Tuesday. Hundreds of workers from different parts of the district gathered at the Collectorate and raised slogans against the government.
Addressing the workers, CPI (M) secretariat committee member Dadala Subba Rao demanded that the government address the long-pending problems of the workers. He faulted the police for resorting to arrests of the workers who were on their way to participate in the ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ agitation programme. “It is unfortunate that the government is using police power to suppress the agitation,” Mr. Subba Rao said.
The workers, under the aegis of CITU, took out rallies, organised rasta rokos and organised human chain in Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram, S. Kota, Kothavalasa, Bobbili, Cheepurupalli and other mandals on Tuesday. The police foiled the attempt of the workers to board trains to participate in ‘Chalo Assembly’ programme on Tuesday.
At Parvathipuram, police arrested CITU leaders and a few anganwadi workers when they blocked vehicular traffic at RTC Complex.
Police resort to lathicharge in Srikakulam to quell the mob
Workers burn effigy of State govt. in Kakinada
