ASHA workers call off strike after government assures July wages; to meet CM on Friday

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) called off their strike on Wednesday after the government promised to release the wages for the month of July soon and assured a meeting of ASHA representatives with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday.

More than 500 ASHAs protested at Freedom Park today. The ASHA Workers' Union shared videos from various districts where the police bundled them in busses to prevent them from coming to Bengaluru from other districts. It has been nine months since ASHA workers demanded Rs. 12,000 as monthly honorarium. They suspended their services to go on a 20-day strike across the state from July 10 to the July 29.

K Somashekar Yadgiri, President of the ASHA Union, said, "Today the state government have inflicted their force upon ASHA workers in more than 10 districts of the State in a heinous attempt to try and stop them from participating in the protest. Some ASHA workers were even sent back by force. Is this the way a government behaves?"

D Nagalaskhmi, State Secretary of the ASHA Union said, "Shockingly, the government has resorted force by restricting ASHAs from coming here, which is utterly condemnable."

Dr Rajkumar, State Deputy Director, Maternal Health, and Dr Omprakash Patil, Director, Health Department, arrived at the protest spot and ensured that the pending wages including the incentives for Covid-19 will be deposited within 15 days.

The ASHA Workers' Union President and Secretary met Health Minister B Sriramulu in the evening who assured them of arranging a meeting with the CM this Friday for further decisions.