New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, March 10 (IANS) Kerala Asha Workers’ protest issue was raised in both houses of the Parliament on Monday, who continue to protest in front of the state secretariat.
The protesters are demanding a hike in their monthly honorarium from Rs 7,000 to Rs 21,000, along with retirement benefits and the clearance of pending payments.
On Monday in the Lok Sabha AICC general secretary (organization) K.C.Venugopal slammed both the Centre and state governments for not making any efforts to end the protest.
“Both the state and Centre are blaming one another when it comes to providing the honorarium they deserve. These workers are the backbone of the healthcare system but they have been forced to protest in the sweltering heat of Thiruvananthapuram for almost a month now. I wish the issue is resolved at the earliest,” said Venugopal.
Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor said this is happening in his constituency.
“They are the unsung heroes of the Indian health care system. During the Covid times they worked hard and all along they are now working for around 14 hours every day. They are called as volunteers and all what they get is very little and that too they get it late. This should end and they should be taken care,” said Tharoor.
The Congress MP from Palakkad V.K.Sreekantan got the attention of the house when he decided to speak in Malayalam.
“This is a shame that the hapless hardworking Asha workers have to protest like this and this is the responsibility of both the Centre and state to end this protest and ensure they are treated with respect,” said Sreekantan.
In the Rajya Sabha, it was the turn of the BJP member and former National Women’s Commission chairperson Rekha Sharma who said the arrears due to them has to be paid besides a proper monthly salary and a pension too.
Meanwhile, on Monday the protesters announced that they would lay siege to the state secretariat on March 17th.
The CPI(M)-led Vijayan government has come under sharp criticism not just from the Congress-led UDF and the BJP but from various sections of society.
This was evident on Women’s Day when numerous organisations expressed their solidarity with the protesting workers.
–IANS
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