THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ASHA workers have decided to continue their strike despite the government sanctioning honorarium dues for January on Thursday.
The government has cleared dues for three months’ honorarium and incentives since the protest began 18 days ago in front of the Secretariat. However, the protesters, led by the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association, have made it clear that they would continue their protest until their remaining demands are met. These include a daily honorarium increase to `700 and a retirement benefit of `5 lakh.
BJP leaders V Muraleedharan and Sobha Surendran visited the protest site.
A Youth Congress protest expressing solidarity with the ASHA workers led to a confrontation with police near the Secretariat. The police used water cannons against the YC members who tried to breach the barricades. The ASHA workers association condemned the violence. Writers K Satchidanandan, K G Sankara Pillai, and Subhash Chandran have called on the government to resolve the issues of the agitators.
Meanwhile, CITU has announced plans to extend its protest to more districts in support of the ASHA workers. S Mini, general secretary of the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association, alleged that protestors are facing threats from the CPM. “The government had threatened us with termination. Now, the panchayat presidents are calling meetings to intimidate us,” she said.
Health Minister Veena George said the government has a compassionate approach towards ASHA workers, even though the programme is centrally sponsored.