Left parties protest statewide arrest of Anganwadi workers

Tirupati: Condemning the arrest of Anganwadi workers by police statewide to prevent them from participating in ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ protest, Left party leaders staged a dharna at RDO office here on Monday.

The activists holding banners and red flags, raising slogans against the government, came in a rally to RDO office where they staged a protest.

Speaking on the occasion, CPM senior leader P Madhu accused the Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy of not implementing any of the three promises he made during 2019 general election though four years passed after he came to power.

The chief minister when he was in opposition during his padayatra and also on several occasions assured to repeal the present CPS and replace it with the old pension system, regularise all the contract

employees services working in various government departments and also will not hike power charges but all the three promises remaining unfulfilled, he explained.

With regard to Anganwadi workers, the same Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he would pay more than Telangana government as salary to Anganwadi workers which is also not fulfilled and resorting to the repressive measures using police force on them for demanding him to keep his promise, he said criticising Jagan for not even permitting to stage a peaceful protest by the aggrieved.

Stating that the Anganwadi workers, helpers and other scheme workers working in the midday meals and other welfare programmes will not be scared of such oppressive measures against them, he declared that the agitation would continue till the government fulfilled the genuine demands of Anganwadi workers and scheme workers.

CPI district secretary Murali expressing solidarity to Anganwadi workers, said 40-50 Anganwadi workers, who were proceeding to Vijayawada to participate in ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ protest were detained in police stations, Kalyana mandapam and also in Railway police stations revealing the YSRCP’s undemocratic and autocratic rule.

The YSRCP leaders including Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and ministers boasting that they would win 175 MLA seats this time in the election, if so why they are afraid of Anganwadi workers and other protests, he questioned.

CITU district secretary K Murali said as the Anganwadi teachers getting Rs 10,000 monthly salary they become ineligible to avail the government welfare schemes, which as per their version is purposeless and making their lives miserable.

The Left leaders in one voice declared the agitation would continue till the government came down and conceded to the demands of Anganwadi and other scheme workers.