THOUSANDS of ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) workers and facilitators from 13 states converged at Jantar Mantar on November 29, in a powerful show of solidarity. Organized by the ASHA Workers’ and Facilitators’ Federation of India (AWFFI), affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the rally demanded regularisation of their employment, a minimum wage of Rs 26,000 per month, comprehensive social security, and pensions. The protest also emphasized the need for universal healthcare and vowed to oppose the policies of the Modi government, which are anti-worker.
The rally, titled the 'ASHA Sangharsh Rally,' was inaugurated by K Hemalata, President of CITU, who hailed the ongoing state-level struggles of ASHA workers and called for intensified national-level action. “The anti-national, pro-corporate policies of this government are a direct attack on the working class. It is time to unite and strengthen joint struggles to bring about change,” she said.
Madhumita Bandopadhyay, General Secretary of AWFFI, outlined the federation’s charter of demands and highlighted past victories achieved through collective struggles.
Speakers from different states, including Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Rajasthan, shared their experiences and struggles, showcasing the collective anger of ASHA workers against stagnant wages, lack of benefits, and the government’s indifference.
PARLIAMENTARIANS AND SOLIDARITY FROM FRATERNAL ORGANISATIONS
CPI(M) MPs in Rajya Sabha, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and V Sivadasan addressed the rally, pledging to raise the workers' demands in Parliament. Leaders from various fraternal organisations, including Vijoo Krishnan of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Jaibhagwan of the Mid-Day Meal Workers Federation of India (MDMWFI), and A R Sindhu of the All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH), expressed solidarity. They underscored the need for a united front of scheme workers across the nation to amplify their voices and achieve their demands.
Cultural performances, including songs composed during state-level struggles, energized the rally, reflecting the resilience and determination of the participants.
In her concluding address, Surekha, Secretary of AWFFI, announced a roadmap for future action, warning of militant protests, including strikes, if the upcoming budget does not address the demands of ASHA workers. “We are prepared to escalate our struggle independently and in joint movements. The fight for our rights will not end here,” she declared.
The rally concluded with a call to take the issues of ASHA workers to grassroots communities, and intensify struggles at state and national levels.
The mobilisation underscored the growing discontent among frontline health workers, whose contributions during the pandemic remain unacknowledged. With their demands resonating across the country, the rally marks another chapter in the fight for dignity, fair wages, and social security for ASHA workers.
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