Hyderabad: ASHA workers protest for Rs 18,000 salary, get detained

ASHA workers staged a protest at the DMHO office in Hyderabad, demanding the Telangana government fulfill its promise of an Rs 18,000 monthly salary. Police later detained the protesting workers and shifted them to a local police station.

A large number of ASHA workers staged a protest at the District Medical and Health Office (DMHO) at Koti area in Hyderabad, demanding that the Telangana government fulfil its promise of Rs 18,000 per month and announce a budget for it in the upcoming assembly session. Soon after the workers protested, the police detained them and shifted them to the local police station.

Workers Slam Govt Over Unfulfilled Promises

Speaking about the protest, the ASHA worker slammed the Congress government in the state and demanded salaries that had been on hold for so long. Speaking to ANI, an ASHA worker said, "We are from Kohed mandal, Tangedipalli village. We have come for a protest at Koti. We are not receiving salaries; they have put them on hold. We don't have insurance for our health."

Another worker told ANI that the Congress government promised to give Rs 18,000 per month before the assembly elections. "The Congress government told us before the assembly elections that they would give Rs 18,000 salary for one month. Now they are saying they will give money depending on work. We have been working for 20 years for Rs 200 to Rs 400. We are fighting for many years, and the Congress government is not recognising us. The TRS government increased some amount, but the Congress government is not thinking about us. We have done several programs like Pulse Polio. Several ASHA workers are dying; we need work protection," an ASHA worker told ANI.

Criticism of Congress Manifesto

Further, criticising the Congress manifesto, she said that the party mentioned several guarantees, including health cards, but did not fulfil any promises. "In the Congress manifesto, they mentioned several guarantees, including health cards for us, but they have not fulfilled any promise. We have come to Koti to stage a protest to fulfil their guarantees. The police are arresting us, but why are they arresting us? We are fighting for our salaries. We have not done anything wrong, and we are not getting even Rs 10,000 as salary. We need a fixed salary," she added.

Police Confirm Detentions

However, the police detained workers and shifted them to the local police station. "The ASHA workers staged a protest at the DHMO office at Koti over their demands, and we have detained them and shifted them to the local police station," a police official said. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)