Demanding Anganwadi workers be declared as State Government employees and a hike in their wages, Angawadi Employees’ Union members took out a rally for Rajbhawan on Friday.
Police, however, stopped them at the barricade near the Income Tax office. Notably, the union members have been demonstrating in support of their demands at Parade Ground since September 22 in one form or the other. Mention worthy, the Angawadi workers, mostly from the hills, remaining in the stir mode have been affecting the work of preparing voter’s cards.
led by the union member Rekha Negi, they gathered at Parade Ground. They started marching towards Rajbhawan while shouting slogans against the State Government. Their demands include salary being made `18, 000 per month and appointment of Anganwadi assistants as supervisors.
Police stepped in as the agitators attempted to break the barricade. The administration had deployed additional forces in view of the rally. Stopped from marching to the Secretariat, the agitators sat near the barricade and continued with the stir.
Negi said that they have been protesting over the past 22 days. “But the Government has not taken action regarding our demands. We would intensify the stir if the administration refuses to address our demands. Anguished as we are over the administration’s continued indifference to our cause, we are being compelled to boycott works related to making voters’ cards,” she said.
She further said that the Anganwadi workers would not lift take-home ration for the Anganwadi centres they are working in from the department concerned if their demands are not met soon.
Others present on the occasion were Sulochana, Sumiti Thapliyal, Meena Rawat, Meena Vohra, Sheela Ramola, Sarojani, Basanti, Kamala Bisht, Bhagarathi, Sonam, Deepa Pandey and Rajwati.