Kerala Asha workers’ strike enters 13th day, Chennithala says CM can resolve it quickly

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 22 (IANS) Asha Workers are on indefinite strike for the last 13 days in Kerala. They are protesting for better wages and benefits. On Saturday, veteran Congress leader and senior MLA Ramesh Chennithala visited the protest site in front of the State Secretariat here to express his solidarity. Chennithala called upon Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to intervene and resolve the ongoing strike. “If CM Vijayan intervenes, this protest could be resolved in just 30 minutes. The government has a responsibility to address this genuine issue, as these Asha workers have been the backbone of the state’s health response during times of crisis — whether it was the Covid-19 pandemic or the devastating floods,” Chennithala said after meeting with the protesters. Veteran CPI leader and former State Minister C. Divakaran has also said that the demands of these hapless Asha workers are genuine and if CM Vijayan wishes he can resolve it in five minutes. Around 26,000 Asha workers from across Kerala have been staging a rotating protest, demanding better working conditions and fair compensation. On Thursday, the association escalated the protest into an indefinite strike, vowing not to return to work until their demands are met. Zeenath, an Asha worker at the protest site, voiced the frustration saying, “We receive just Rs 7,000 a month. How can anyone run a household on that? When we retire, we get nothing. We are waiting for the government to announce a revised honorarium and a one-time retirement benefit.” The protesters are demanding an increase in their monthly honorarium from Rs 7,000 to Rs 21,000 plus retirement benefits, and the clearance of pending payments. What has further fueled their anger is the government’s alleged attempts to intimidate protesters with warnings of “dire consequences” for participating in the strike. Adding to their frustration were recent government decisions, including a substantial pay hike for members of the Kerala Public Service Commission and an increase in travel allowance for K.V. Thomas, Kerala’s representative in Delhi — announcements that have intensified the workers’ sense of injustice. –IANS sg/skp