Kerala Assembly erupts as ASHA workers' protest enters day 23
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Kerala ASHA Health Workers march to Assembly in front of the Secretariat on Monday, demanding higher wages, pending payments, and pension benefits.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly witnessed heated exchanges between the opposition and treasury benches on Tuesday as the protest by over 26,000 ASHA workers entered its 23rd day. The Speaker was forced to adjourn the House for the day after completing the listed business.
First-time legislator Rahul Mamkoothathil sought leave for an adjournment motion on the plight of the protesting ASHA workers, who have been staging demonstrations in front of the State Secretariat. He criticized the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government for its silence on the issue.
“The Left Democratic Front's 2021 poll manifesto promised that ASHA workers would be paid Rs 700 per day, but this commitment has not been fulfilled. Instead, only pending arrears were cleared recently. At present, they receive just Rs 232 daily. Their protest is a demand to honor what the Left had promised,” said Mamkoothathil.
He further alleged that CPI(M) leaders had been repeatedly abusing the protesting workers. “Their demonstrations are being described in unparliamentary terms. Health Minister Veena George has been rude, telling the protesters to come to her office when they approached her residence for discussions. You (George) will not remain in that chair for long. While the CPI(M)-affiliated trade union, CITU, is demanding higher wages for ASHA workers in other states, here, they are abusing them,” he said.
Minister Veena George responded sharply, accusing Mamkoothathil of acting like the leaders of SUCI, which is spearheading the ongoing protest.
“It was the Left government that increased the honorarium of ASHA workers. The claim that I refused to meet them is a lie. On February 15, I met with the workers and discussed their demands. I have already taken legal steps against false reports suggesting that I ignored the protesters. There is no doubt that their honorarium should be increased,” George stated.
When Speaker A.N. Shamsheer refused leave to take up the adjournment motion, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan countered by emphasizing that the demand was only to honor the promise made by CM Vijayan in the party’s manifesto.
“A decade ago, in this very House, top CPI(M) leader and CITU representative Elamaram Kareem demanded that the honorarium be raised to Rs 10,000. Today, the same Kareem is showering abuses on the protesters. In Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh, ASHA workers receive Rs 10,000, while Karnataka recently hiked their pay to the same amount, with a further increase promised,” said Satheesan, urging the Vijayan government to wake up from its deep slumber.
As Satheesan continued his attack on the Chief Minister, the Speaker intervened, asking him to conclude his speech. When he refused, his microphone was switched off. This triggered protests from the opposition benches, leading to a chaotic situation in the Assembly. With the uproar intensifying, the Speaker quickly completed the day's business and adjourned the House.
Outside the Assembly, Satheesan slammed the Chief Minister for his rigid stance, urging him to invite the protesters for discussions. “This Speaker is acting like a backbench legislator of the ruling party, completely controlled by the government. If he switches off our microphones, we will do the same when ministers and the Chief Minister speak. They, too, must adhere to time limits,” he said.
State BJP president K. Surendran also criticized the Vijayan government, accusing it of misleading the people. “The Centre is doing everything possible, but the Kerala government is simply blaming the Centre while doing nothing. The funds are provided by the Centre, much like the MGNREGA scheme, which the Vijayan government falsely claims is underfunded. The BJP will stand with the protesters,” Surendran asserted.
The ASHA workers are demanding an increase in their monthly honorarium from Rs 7,000 to Rs 21,000, along with retirement benefits and clearance of pending payments.
With IANS inputs