Govt. issues show-cause notice to protesting Anganwadi workers in Andhra Pradesh

Govt. issues show-cause notice to protesting Anganwadi workers in Andhra Pradesh. It asks the striking workers to respond to the notice within 10 days or face disciplinary action. In all, 17 women, including the Anganwadi workers and helpers of various districts and leaders of the A.P. Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Unions of IFTU, AITUC and CITU, are on fast unto death.

The Andhra Pradesh government on January 18 (Thursday) served show-cause notices on the Anganwadi workers and helpers, who were on a fast-unto-death strike at the Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada.

Women Development and Child Welfare (WD&CW) Department Project Directors of various districts served the notices through the Postal Department staff.

“In the notices, the government has directed the agitating Anganwadi workers to respond within 10 days, or face disciplinary action,” said an Anganwadi helper, Rama Lakshmi, who was on indefinite hunger strike.

“This is the second time that the State government is threatening us by issuing notices,” Srujana, another striking worker, told The Hindu.

“We were agitating for the last 38 days and launched indefinite fast from January 17. The government, instead of solving the problems through dialogue, is serving notices and has invoked ESMA on us,” said CITU-affiliated A.P. Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Union State general secretary K. Subbaravamma.

In all, 17 women, including the Anganwadi workers and helpers of various districts and leaders of the A.P. Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Unions of IFTU, AITUC and CITU, who had been heading the agitation were on fast unto death, said A.P. Pragathiseela Anganwadi Workers and Helpers’ Union State general secretary V.R. Jyothi.

Meanwhile, the police arranged tight security at the fasting camp at Dharna Chowk as a precautionary measure.