By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: The indefinite hunger strike by Delhi State Aanganwadi Workers’ and Helpers’ Union entered its seventh day as the AAP government continues to evade holding deliberations with the striking workers.
The Workers are staging a round-the-clock sit-in protest at Civil Lines, Delhi since July 6th this month demanding their honorarium (earned wages), which are pending for last nine months. After continuous neglect by AAP government, five Aanganwadi workers had started the indefinite hunger strike which entered its seventh day on Tuesday, July 28.
In a press statement, the workers alleged manhandling by AAP volunteers when a delegation of Aanganwadi workers tried to meet the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on July 24 in Babarpur, where he was present to attend a ceremony.
“AAP volunteers manhandled the Aanganwadi workers and tried to drive them away. All of this happened in front of Arvind Kejriwal. AAP volunteers said that if you are not getting wages, why don’t you do some other work? Showing the height of insensitivity, Kejriwal did not even talk to them,” said Shivani Kaul, spokesperson, Delhi State Aanganwadi Workers’ and Helpers’ Union.
The striking workers also alleged use of police by Delhi Government as a ploy to break the indefinite hunger strike. “Kejriwal government, on the one hand, is attacking the police administration and on the other, it is using the same police force to break the indefinite hunger strike. A group of police personnel came to the strike venue on the night of July 24 and forced the strikers to remove a small piece of tent which was being used to cover the heads of the hunger strikers,” said Nitin, convener Delhi State Aanganwadi Workers and Helpers Union, adding that the real intent of the police was to take them into custody.
“However, police failed to do so. Frustrated by this failure, Kejriwal government has ordered the police not to allow the strikers to use any piece of tent to cover themselves even during rain. The Kejriwal government is using every trick in the trade to break the indefinite hunger strike,” Nitin alleged.
The Delhi State Aanganbadi Workers’ and Helpers’ Union wrote to the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court and a delegation of workers went to meet Lt Gov Najeeb Jung on Monday, July 27 and apprised him about their grievances.
“We went to meet Jung yesterday morning and asked him to readdress our grievances who in turn wrote letters to the Department concerned and Ministry for early readdressing of our demands. The workers are also considering to file a case against the Kejriwal government,” said Kaul.
Meanwhile, Aanganwadi workers have prepared a resolution to boycott AAP government in the coming MCD elections. Radha, an Aanganwadi worker, argued, “It is necessary to teach a lesson to these political clowns.”