Protests across Haryana on Women’s Day for regular jobs and better wages

The demonstrators handed over memoranda to the district authorities for the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister

Coinciding with the International Women’s Day, All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Sarv Karamchari Sangh activists along with anganwari workers and Accredited Social Health Activists held protest demonstrations across Haryana on Tuesday seeking regular jobs, respectable wages and against growing oppression, exploitation and violence.

The demonstrators held meetings and handed over memoranda to the district authorities for the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister in support of their demands.

Objectionable comments

Addressing a meeting at Rohtak’s Mansarovar Park, Jagmati Sangwan, national vice-president, AIDWA, said that repeated attempts were made to attack the women’s pride at social and political levels since the Bharatiya Janata Party returned to power in 2019. She said objectionable comments were made on Muslim women holding demonstrations at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the women from the same religious community were put out for “sale” through “Sulli App”. She said the authorities swung into action in “Sulli App” case only after widespread resentment and public outcry. She regretted that more than 80 lakh women working under various government schemes, such as midday meal, were not even recognised as “labourers” and not being paid the minimum wages.

Anita Bhali, district vice-president, CITU, said the condition of the women, especially the working women, was the worst when the country was gearing up to celebrate 75 years of Independence.

Several hundred women, holding red flags, took out protest march in Karnal and burnt effigies of Chief Minister Manohar Lal and Women and Child Development Minister Kamlesh Dhanda.

‘Anti-women policy’

CITU, Haryana, vice-president Satvir Singh and Major (retd.) S.L. Prajapati, speaking at a protest meet in Gurugram’s Kamla Nehru Park, condemned the anti-women and oppressing policy of the Haryana government and demanded immediate resolution of various demands raised by women workers.

In Sonipat, the women protesters gathered at the Panchayat Bhawan and held a demonstration against the government. Similar protests were held at Bhiwani, Jind and Yamunanagar as well.