Members of the Jharkhand State National Rural Health Mission-Auxiliary Nurse Midwife/General NurseMidwife (NRHM-ANM/GNM) Anubandh Karamchari Sangh protested outside the Raj Bhawan here on Monday, demanding systematic appointment of contractual nurses and midwives. The three-day protest will be followed by a fast unto death, members of the organisation told the media.

The main demands of the protest include immediate appointment of contractual ANM/GNM nurses and creation of 1990 posts according to Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) guidelines.

“The Government had announced on December 6, 2018 that the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission will issue applications for permanent appointments. But the government has only made undelivered promises, and no application for appointments have been issued till now. Some of us have been working for ANM/GNM for more than 12 years, but the administration refuses to listen to us,” said Meera Kumari, State President of Jharkhand Rajya NRHM Anubandh Karamchari Sangh.

The organisation started the protest on Monday morning from Morhabadi ground and rallied towards Chief Minister’s residence, but was stopped near Raj Bhawan by police, where they organised a sit in. The leaders of the protest repeatedly jibed at State officials for stopping them and not listening to the hundreds of women present.

“We will not leave till the Government listens to us. We are protesting overnight too. We have planned a sit-in for three days till Wednesday. If our demands are not met till then, we will fast unto death from June 27,” Kumari said.

However, the nurses’ support for the protest seemed to be dwindling on the first day itself. Many women were seen growing impatient and leaving through the corners of the tents, and the leaders had to urge women to maintain solidarity.