ASHA workers continue to protest in Bengaluru

ASHA workers have been demanding a fixed monthly honorarium and the payment of wages that have been pending since July. The ASHA workers staged a protest at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru on September 23. 

Bengaluru: Close to 500 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers from Karnataka held a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

The ASHA workers held a protest demanding a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 12,000 and to release pending wages of workers.

Earlier in July the ASHA workers off their plans of staging a 20-day strike, following assurances from Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu that their demands for a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 12,000 will be considered.

However, as their demands have not been met for the past two months, and their wages have been pending since July, the workers took to the streets to stage protests.

D Nagalaskhmi, State Secretary of the ASHA Union in Karnataka told Asianet Kannada “The government has remained silent to all the sound and cries of the ASHA workers, and shockingly has resorted to strike their force upon the ASHAs by restricting them from coming here which is utterly condemnable".

The protesting workers met Health Minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday and were assured that a meeting will be held with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday.

The ASHA workers have also asked the state government to provide PPE kits and safety equipment regularly.