It has been more than a couple of weeks since several anganwadi workers in Delhi have been protesting outside the CM house.
Anganwadi workers in Delhi have been protesting outside the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s house for more than a couple of weeks. Several reports are coming which say a similar protest has been going on outside Vikas Sadan in Gurugram for more than two and half months.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the issues of Anganwadi workers in the national capital. Hitting out at the AAP, the former Congress president said that the Delhi government doesn’t understand people’s agony.
दिल्ली सरकार जनता के दर्द नहीं समझती। आंगनवाड़ी कार्यकर्ताओं के हक़ की लड़ाई एकदम सही है।
कोविड में अपनी जान की परवाह ना करते हुए इन्होंने जन सेवा की।लेकिन दिल्ली के CM ना तो उन्हें पर्याप्त वेतन दे रहे हैं, ना समय, ना सम्मान।
नाम के आम आदमी!
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 16, 2022
On the other side Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta attacked Arvind Kejriwal on the new liquor policy. He further said that Kejriwal should listen to Anganwadi workers.
'पिंक ठेका' खोलने से फुरसत मिल गयी हो तो,
आंगनवाड़ी कर्मचारियों की भी सुन लो केजरीवाल जी।
— Office of Adesh Gupta (@OfficeOfAdeshG) February 17, 2022
Anganwadi Workers in Delhi have been organizing an endless strike for more than about fourteen days now outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s home requesting an increment in honorarium. Last week, they took out a ‘khabardar’ rally against the Delhi government close to Vidhan Sabha.
What has irked the anganwadi workers?
Anganwadi workers in Delhi are staging protests for increased wages. Anganwadi workers and helpers in Delhi last received a hike in honorarium in August 2017. In Delhi, workers are currently receiving a monthly honorarium of Rs 9,768 and helpers receive Rs 4,839. The protest is to demand the honorarium to be increased to Rs 25,000 per month for workers and Rs 20,000 for helpers. In Gurugram, the workers are receiving Rs 11,811 per month and helpers get Rs 6,045. They want it to be increased to Rs 24,000 and Rs 18,000, respectively. According to a report by Indian Express, the agitators said the honorarium is lower than the salary of contractual unskilled workers in Haryana. Contractual unskilled workers earn between Rs 14,330-17,520 per month.
What authorities have to say?
“Haryana is among the three states to give the highest honorarium to anganwadi workers. The Chief Minister has also announced Rs 1 lakh on their retirement and Rs 2 lakh in case of accidental death,” state Women and Child Development Minister Kamlesh Dhanda said as quoted by Indian Express. In Delhi, the government’s Women and child Development minister Rajendra Pal Gautam met the workers on 7 September, 2021. According to The Hindu, they were assured that their demands would be addressed within a week, however, he never got back to the protesters.
What has come to another turn?
The workers have received letters from the Delhi government threatening them of action if they do not join work, reports The Hindu.