Shadow Correspondent
JAMMU, MAY 24:
National Conference Provincial President Mr Devender Singh Rana on Thursday lambasted PDP-BJP Government for forcing Anganwadi Workers and Helpers to take to streets in support of their demands, which include release of salaries and hike in honorarium.
“Our hearts go out to the agitating Workers and Helpers, who are sitting on dharna in the current scorching spell of heat”, Mr Rana said while joining the sit-in protest at Nagrota as a mark of solidarity with the protesters.
He said denial of timely wages to poor segment of workers is a gross human rights violation and its enormity becomes severe as they have been agitating for over three months now. “It is shame to see our daughters and sisters sitting on roads for something that could have been avoided by acceding to their genuine demands”, he said and expressed concern over the lackadaisical attitude of the coalition government towards the problems of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers.
Mr Rana also spoke to Minister for Social Welfare on phone and brought to his notice the plight of agitating workers and seeking redressal of their grievances. He said the government cannot abdicate its responsibilities and allow drift by not engaging with striking workers. The strike, he said, has not brought the agitating workers to traumatic situation but also results in smooth functioning of the Anganwadi Centres. He hoped the government to appreciate the difficulties being faced by the workers and their families in these days of inflation that has touched alarming proportions due to the wrong policies of the governments at the Centre and in the State.
