Back to back mass stirs could put Kerala CPI(M) government in tight spot

Thiruvananthapuram: While the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA workers) are intensifying their 38 day long stir by launching an indefinite strike from Thursday as the talks with government failed, the 159 days long stir by residents of Munamabam near Kochi against the Wakf claim on their land is also being intensified.

The Anganwadi workers and helpers launched an indefinite stir in front of the government secretariat from Monday demanding a wage hike assured by the CPI(M) during the elections. Another mass stir is taking shape against the government's moves to allow a distillery-brewery project in ground water scarcity hit region of Palakkad district.

The back to back mass stirs by weaker sections could put the CPM-led Left Democratic Front in a tight spot especially since the local body polls and Assembly polls are approaching.

The resentment within the left-front towards the Pinarayi Vijayan government's adamant stand towards the stir is already coming out in the open as pro-left trade unions are also staging demonstrations to express solidarity with the stir by the ASHA workers in front of the secretariat.

Talks initiated by Health Minister Veena George with the leaders of the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association on Wednesday was termed by the association leaders as an name sake move as no talks were held on their key demand for increasing the monthly honorarium from Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 21,000 - an assurance given in the ruling CPM's 2021 election manifesto.

While the government cites acute financial crunches as the key hurdle, the ASHA workers counter it citing the wage hike being given to others in the government sector, especially the hike of over Rs. one lakh recently given to state Public Service Commission members.

The minister also tried to downplay the stir by stating that only around 450 of the over 25,000 ASHA workers were on stir, despite the fact that many ASHA workers are forced to report for work owing to fear of job loss.

Meanwhile, the indefinite stir by Anganwadi workers under the banner of Indian National Anganwadi Employees Federation affiliated to the Congress is also gaining support from various quarters. They also demand the CPI(M) assurance in the manifesto to increase their remuneration to Rs. 21,000. A hike of Rs. 1,000 announced by the government in 2021 was also yet to be implemented, they alleged.

The Munambam action council decided to intensify their 159 days long stir after the Kerala High Court set aside the government decision to constitute a judicial commission to look into their issues. The action council was of the view that the judicial commission would not solve their problems.