Thiruvananthapuram: The entire stretch of thoroughfares along the Government Secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram has been shut down by the CPI(M)-led Kerala Government to demolish the agitation by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) who are on strike since the last 36 days. They had planned to lay siege to the secretariat on Monday and this made Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister, furious and he ordered the police to break the agitation.

All political parties in the state barring the CPI(M) have extended support to the agitating ASHA workers. This includes the CPI which is frightened of big brother CPI(M). ASHA workers numbering around 10,000 drawn from all over Kerala demand minimum pay and working hours in synchronization with international labour norms.

The Kerala Government who is their paymasters claim that they are given the best salary available in the job market and need work for a few hours. “Our government gives the highest salary that is paid to ASHA workers compared to other States,” said Veena George, minister for health.

The CITU, the labour wing of the CPI(M) described the agitation as a collection drive using empty tins. “This is nothing other than fund collection drive by some leaders with empty tins,” said Elamaram Kareem, CITU leader and former CPI-M minister,

Though the CPI-M tried all the weapons available in its armoury to break the agitation, the attempts failed in making the ASHA workers withdraw from the 36-day-old agitation. “What we get for working round the clock for 30 days is just Rs 6000 or less. The State Finance minister declares that the union government was not releasing the financial assistance which the State government has asked for and this is the main reason for non-payment of the salary meant for ASHA workers”, said K N Balagopalan, finance minister of Kerala.

But the ASHA workers state that the mismanagement of finance by the Kerala Government was the root cause of the failure and the Centre has no role in it. The CPI(M) leadership has commissioned even journalists working for foreign media to discredit and insult the Government of India by spreading fake news.

Hindusthan Samachar / Manohar Yadavatti