HUNDREDS of anganwadi workers and helpers burnt the  BJP election manifesto for the 2014 parliament elections on May 26, 2017, the third anniversary of the NDA government observing it as “Dhoka Diwas” as per the call of All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers.

On page 22 of the manifesto for 2014 Lok Sabha elections, BJP has promised to, “Review the working conditions and enhance the remuneration of Anganwadi workers.” But, Narendra Modi became the first and the only prime minister of India who cut down the budget for ICDS to half, in his first full budget in 2015-16 – from Rs 18,108 crores (budget estimate) in 2014-15 to a mere Rs 8245.77 crores. Later on, AIFAWH’s struggles forced the government to increase the budget through supplementary grants. But in 2016-17 and 2017-18 also, the budget allocations are half of that of the Planning Commission allocation for ICDS.

The government is strongly objecting to the recommendations of the 45th Indian Labour Conference to recognise the scheme workers including anganwadi workers and helpers as workers, to pay them minimum wages and provide social security and pension.   

The women and child development minister clearly told in the parliament that it is not possible for her to increase the remuneration of anganwadi workers and helpers. ICDS is in crisis in many states because of resource crunch due to the budget cut. In many states, large scale privatisation is going on in ICDS.

In this background, AIFAWH had decided to observe the third anniversary of Modi government as “Dhoka Diwas”.

In Assam, where Modi was celebrating the third anniversary of his government, more than twenty thousand anganwadi workers and helpers protested in 17 districts wearing black dress. In 20 states, in nearly thousand places (districts and projects) anganwadi employees burnt the BJP manifesto. In many places, the agitated workers burnt the effigies of PM also.

In Gujarat, BJP election manifesto was burnt in many places. In Rajkot, the anganwadi workers and helpers were arrested by the police.

AIFAWH has congratulated the anganwadi workers and helpers for the successful programme in registering the protest throughout the country, mobilising people against the much media propagated “development of the government”.