Hyderabad: Tensions flared between Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers and police officials amid a protest in Hyderabad’s Sultan Bazar on Monday, December 9.
Several ASHA protestors were detained from the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) office as they demanded an increment of salary to Rs 18,000, a pre-election promise of the Congress.
As the ASHA workers began protesting at the DME office, police personnel began to detain the women.
In visuals that surfaced from the protest, an angry ASHA worker, who was forced into a police van, is seen screaming after her leg gets stuck in the vehicle’s door. Writhing in pain, in a quick response, the ASHA worker slapped Sultan Bazaar Inspector Srinivas Chary, who was at the time securing its door.
In retaliation, a few police officers including the Sultan Bazar assistant commissioner of police hit the woman. Amid the altercation, a police officer also pulled the ASHA worker’s saree, while trying to grab her attention as she writhed in pain.
It is to be noted that Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy promised to hike the salary of Asha workers during elections however, it is yet to be implemented. Some ASHA workers alleged that they did not receive the money for the survey of polio in Telangana. They added that the money was given to Anganwadi teachers instead.
Additionally, an ASHA worker was reportedly severely injured while being forced into the DCM. She is currently admitted to Osmania General Hospital (OGH).
The protesting ASHA workers belonged to Bharat Rashtra Trade Union (BRTU) which is affiliated with Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).
Another protest has been scheduled at the commissioner of medical and health department’s office in Hyderabad, on Tuesday, protest is being organised by the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
The demands of both unions are the same, which include the implementation of minimum wages of Rs 18,000 per month, extension of ESI, PF and insurance to ASHA workers, and the payment of the arrears for their services during the survey of polio.
The ASHA workers claimed that despite not being paid for their work during the pulse polio survey, they are now being asked to conduct a leprosy survey, and have already received training.
The ASHA workers were angry as the Anganwadi workers were being paid for the work they carried out. They claimed that several workers were paid less than half the wages for their services, while the Anganwadi workers were paid in full.
As per ASHA workers affiliated with CITU, the medical and health department has issued a circular ahead f their protest, instructing all ASHA workers to be present in their respective primary health centres (PHC) on Tuesday. They alleged that the state government was trying to prevent them from holding their protest in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Mohammed Baleegh | 
