A ‘chalo Assembly’ programme of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) demanding hike in minimum wages and recognition as auxiliary nursing midwives led to tension at RTC crossroads here on Friday when a large group of women squatted on the road and entered into a scuffle with the police as they tried to clear them.
The police had a tough time to arrest the women since they put up a brave resistance holding on to one another. It required the intervention of male force who dragged the protestors by the hands and bundled them into waiting vehicles. About 2,000 women were arrested at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram, RTC crossroads and Indira Park.
The ASHA workers came to the city in large numbers from various districts and one group even proceeded to the Indira Park while others gathered at Bagh Lingampalli and the office of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions at RTC crossroads.
The police picked up several women proceeding for the demonstration at bus stations and on the way.
The CITU which gave the call for the programme again decided to organise protest across Telangana on Saturday.
‘Over 8,000 arrested’
Meanwhile, Director General of Police Anurag Sharma issued a release stating that 8,805 ASHA workers were arrested across the State. They were taken into custody and released later because they planned to lay siege to the Secretariat. Most of the women were arrested wherever they were spotted in districts while going to the State capital.
Tension at CM’s farm
Tension prevailed for some time at Ganeshpally near Erravalli village in Jagadevpur mandal of Medak district on Friday where the farm house of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was located when protesting ASHA workers tried to sneak into the farm house. About two batches of workers tried to enter the farm house within a gap of a few hours. They were arrested by the police and shifted to the police station.
In a related development, scores of Asha workers were arrested by the police across the district late on Thursday night and Friday morning and kept at various police stations till evening.
Hundreds of community health workers arrested in Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana
