Srikakulam: Suppression of Anganwadis’ stir draws flak

Srikakulam: Methods adopted by the state government to suppress ongoing Anganwadi workers and helpers agitation came under criticism of various :eft parties and unions, people’s and revolutionary organisations.

In a press conference here on Monday, leaders of CPI (ML-ND), Arunodaya, All India Karmika Mazdoor Sangham, Indian Federation of Trade Union, Progressive Organisation of Women, Progressive Organisation for Liberation and other unions and associations strongly condemned the government attempt to muzzle the voice of agitation workers.

The leaders of unions and associations, Tandra Prakash, Sannaetti Rajasekhar, S Krishna Veni, P Kusuma and S Jagan lamented that instead of solving the just demands of the Anganwadis, the state government adopted anti-democratic methods like deploying police force, bringing ESMA, foisting false cases, threatening family members of Anganwadis.

For the last 42 days, Anganwadi workers and helpers have been staging agitations in different modes protesting the state government’s lethargic and dictatorial attitude, they said. But the state government instead of solving the issue, aggravating the situation by threatening to sack them and pushing people into trouble in rural areas where services of Anganwadis are not available due to agitation.

They also found fault with the state government and police for arresting Anganwadi workers and demanded that they be released unconditionally.

They warned the YSRCP government in the state that the people are ready to teach a lesson to it in the coming elections.