UPA, BJP two sides of fake currency: Brinda

 A sea of anganwadi workers, attired in red, sporting red caps and holding red flags, lifted the spirit of the organisers at the 5th state-level convention of anganwadi workers held under the banner of CITU in Mysore on Saturday.

Addressing a gathering of anganwadi workers, Brinda Karat, leader, All India Janavadi Women’s Organisation, New Delhi, and elected to Rajya Sabha from CPI, targeted both the Centre and state governments for their anti-people policies and even described them as ‘bhai-bhai’ in corruption.

Flaying the governments, she said, only the letters of UPA and BJP are different but their policies and approach in neglecting the issues of the poor and downtrodden is same.

“They do ‘sashtanga namaskar’ to rich and powerful and extend their full support to those involved in land mafia and scams related to telecom, Bellary mines, are some examples”, she said.

Questioning the stand of the government towards working women, she alleged that the netas speak about inclusive growth, but include policies only to serve corporate sector and foreign investors. A large section of the people are discriminated and are kept away from development.

No country can go forward if it does not understand the role of women, she opined. The governments depend on implementation and success of its major schemes on women, especially anganwadi workers who are instrumental in running anganwadi centres, mid-day meals, rural health literacy programme and others.

The netas and babus sitting in Delhi are wearing special spectacles that do not show the suffering of working women, she ridiculed.

The government which has given a Rs five lakh crore tax concession to rich in this year’s budget does not have money for anganwadi workers. While the ministers and officials are working less and enjoying more leisure hours, these anganwadi workers are made to work for eight hours, but are paid meagre salaries.

One of their main demands is a minimum wage of Rs 10,000 and regularisation of services.

When the issue was raised in the Parliament, the government informed that the workers are not paid salaries but given honorarium.

“We don’t beg for charity, we demand recognition,” she asserted.
While a delegation met the leaders and recommended pension and bonus facilities, the UPA government refused and BJP too remained dumb, she flayed.

The struggle of the anganwadis is linked to struggle against wrong politics of UPA and BJP, Brinda said.

K Hemalatha, All India Anganwadi Association (CITU), New Delhi, VJK Nair, C Basavalingaiah, ex-MLA G V Srirama Reddy, S Prasanna Kumar, S Varalakshmi, Meenakshi Sundaram, G Jayaram, Shantha N Ghanti were also present.