NEW DELHI: More than 10,000 anganwadi workers on Tuesday took out a protest march called, ‘Anganwadi Stree Adhikar Rally’ from Raj Ghat to Delhi Secretariat, seeking a hike in their honorarium along with other demands such as regularisation of their services along with retirement benefits.
The rally was headed by Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union. The protest began with revolutionary slogans. While Delhi Police erected barricades and tied them firmly with thick ropes, the protesting women appealed to them to remove the barricades. After the police refused to do so, they removed the barricades themselves.
When the agitating women reached the Delhi Secretariat, they also demanded the officials to send a delegate for talks but the officials at the entrance refused to accept that. According to union leader Shivani Kaul, the protest was to show the government that woman workers cannot be intimidated and threatened and should be compensated as per the hard work they invest.
“We have been protesting for around two months in front of Vikas Bhawan near the CM’s house but he never cared to meet us. Recently, an IAS rank officer called the protesting anganwadi workers “lafangi” and “farzi” when we are only protesting for our fundamental rights. How can an officer make such statements?” added Shivani.
She added that the protest is to seek an FIR against the officer who made those statements and for the rights of the anganwadi workers. Apart from the rally, the occupation of Delhi Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Union continued at the WCD office. “If the government does not accept our legitimate demands, we will intensify our strike with double the energy from tomorrow,” said Shivani.
On February 27, the government said that it will increase the pay in response to the strike. The WCD minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said that the pay will be increased from Rs 9,678 for workers and Rs 4,839 for helpers to Rs 12,720 and Rs 6,810 respectively from March 1.
However, the workers complained that the increment provided to them is not as per their demand. They also stated that the union leaders have not been called for a meeting with the minister to present their demands. Various mass organisations and their representatives also participated in the rally. Among others, there were Nishant Natya Manch, Naujawan Bharat Sabha and Disha Students’ Organisation.