B Tulasi Das
THE historic 42-day strike of anganwadi workers and helpers in Andhra Pradesh concluded successfully, as the state government accepted 11 out of the 13 demands raised by the striking workers. The strike, initiated by the AP Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (CITU), AP Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association (AITUC), and AP Pragatisheela Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (IFTU), commenced on December 12 and lasted until January 22, achieving its goals.
Throughout the 42 days, the strike progressed through various stages, involving anganwadi workers and helpers across the state. The success of the strike can be attributed to the unity of the one lakh five thousand anganwadis in the state, unwavering support from ICDS beneficiaries, and extensive backing from all sections of society. Trade unions, mass organisations, and political parties also demonstrated solidarity. All these factors contributed to the government's conceding to the demands of the anganwadi workers and helpers.
In attempts to suppress the strike, the government employed unjust practices, intimidating and harassing anganwadi workers, and invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the strike. ICDS officials issued show cause notices and, ultimately, termination orders to thousands of anganwadis. And on top of this, the government deployed thousands of police personnel to thwart the hunger strike and mass activities. Despite these challenges, the collective efforts and resilience of the anganwadi workers and helpers and the widespread support led to the successful resolution of the strike.
BACKGROUND
A strike notice was served to the principal secretary of the women and child welfare department and other state officials on November 16, 2023. Copies were also provided to the project directors and project officers of ICDS within their respective jurisdictions. The government did not move till the first week of December, and on the other hand it urged the anganwadi organisations to defer the strike due Cyclone Michael and the need for supplying ration to beneficiaries in the first week. In response to the government's request, the three organisations agreed to postpone the strike by four days, shifting the start date from December 8 to December 12.
However, the government in its discussions with the three anganwadi organisations did not accept their demands, prompting them to commence the strike on December 12, 2023. All 55,000 anganwadi centers were closed, and the workers joined the strike, gathering daily at the 283 project centres to protest in various forms. Discussions with ICDS officials yielded no positive outcome. The organisations persisted with pressure on the government through representations, dharnas, and other means.
The government, in the meanwhile, resorted to forcibly open anganwadi centres and hand them over to village ward secretariat staff. In response, anganwadi workers and helpers mobilised beneficiaries and other community members, standing firm to prevent the officials from breaking open the centres. Even in cases where centres were forcibly opened, beneficiaries refused to send their children to the newly appointed personnel from the village secretariats.
The striking anganwadi workers had to celebrate Christmas, New Year's Day, and the Telugu harvesting festival of Sankranti in their strike tents. This created agony among families and neighbours.
Seeking resolution, the striking anganwadi workers approached various people's representatives, including MLAs and ministers, and submitted memorandums. Hundreds of anganwadi workers even staged sit-ins in front of some ministers' residences for hours together, yet the government remained unresponsive.
On December 3rd, thousands of anganwadi workers and helpers laid seize to all 26 collectorates and some RDO offices, intensifying their protest. And, instead of addressing the legitimate demands of the anganwadi workers and helpers, the government invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to unlawfully prohibit the strike.
On January 11, 2024, the cabinet subcommittee invited the striking organisations for talks, but the discussions did not yield a positive outcome. Subsequently, the government resorted to threatening anganwadi workers, pressuring them to end the strike and resume their duties.
The government applied pressure on anganwadi workers and helpers through the CDS project officers and supervisors. They continuously telephoned the anganwadi workers, intimidating them and issuing warnings of termination and the appointment of new personnel. The project officers and supervisors actively encouraged the helpers to return to their duties, assuring them of immediate promotion to worker positions in the same centre. Despite these efforts and persistent harassment, almost none chose to resume their duties.
To further coerce compliance, the Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) issued show cause notices and letters, indicating impending legal action after a specified period. Faced with this situation, the organisations decided to initiate an indefinite fast starting from January 17. This decision sparked significant solidarity and support from the working class and various democratic sections of society.
Trade unions played a crucial role in expressing solidarity through diverse actions such as dharnas, processions, and roadblocks at mandal, town, and district levels. Kisan, agricultural workers, KVPS, as well as other student, youth, and women’s organisations, extended their support in solidarity with the anganwadi workers and helpers.
The CPI(M) and other Left parties extended their support to the strike, demanding the government to address the genuine demands of the anganwadis. In a round table meeting, attended by all parties except the YSRCP and BJP, full support was expressed for the ongoing strike. A delegation from the Left parties met with the chief secretary, urging an amicable resolution to the strike, but the government's response was not positive.
In response to the lack of progress, anganwadi organisations decided to initiate an indefinite hunger strike starting from January 17. By the fourth day, the health of two prominent leaders deteriorated, leading the police to forcibly shift them to the hospital. In a final attempt to quell the protest, the government deployed thousands of police to dismantle the hunger strike camp on the midnight of January 21. Led by the DCP, male police indiscriminately entered the tent ransacking it. They turned off street lights and mishandled women around 3 o'clock in the early hours of January 22.
To intensify their movement, anganwadi organisations called for the collection of one crore signatures from beneficiaries and the people of the state. This initiative, known as "Jagan anna ku chebudam," aimed to submit the signatures to the chief minister. The organisations successfully reached their goal by January 20, demonstrating widespread support for their cause.
As the government issued show cause notices and attempted to terminate anganwadi workers, the organisations called upon the striking workers and helpers to converge on the state capital and submit a memorandum with one crore signatures to chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on January 22. Despite the government preventing and vehemently trying to stop them from reaching Vijayawada, thousands of anganwadi workers and helpers managed to defy the obstacles and reach Vijayawada with the memorandum to the CM. However, the police acted inhumanely, dispersing and detaining anganwadi workers and helpers as they gathered at the BRTS Road junction in Vijayawada.
In response to the brutal actions of the state government, the Left parties started a hunger strike within the premises of the CPI(M) state committee office. They demanded an end to repression and the resolution of the strike. V Srinivasa Rao, CPI(M) state secretary; G Eswarayya, state Secretariat member of CPI; R Hari Krishna of CPI(ML- New Democracy); and Veera Babu of CPI(ML) participated in the hunger strike. K Ramakrishna, CPI state secretary, inaugurated the hunger strike camp, and leaders from other parties such as TDP, Congress, and Janasena expressed their solidarity with the fasting Left party leaders and the striking anganwadi workers and helpers.
The police thwarted the indefinite hunger strike of the anganwadi workers and helpers and the ‘Jagan anna ku chebudam’ programme, but their actions couldn't dampen the resolve of the anganwadis.
Ultimately, the cabinet subcommittee invited the striking organisations and also the trade unions, for discussions on the night of the 22nd around 9:30. The talks persisted for nearly two hours, resulting in the government conceding to 11 out of the 13 demands outlined in the strike charter. The primary demand for a wage hike was deferred until July 2024, with the understanding that the government would increase it on mutually agreed terms.
Regarding the gratuity issue, the government committed to sending a letter to the Government of India for their inputs, and the state government would act accordingly based on the direction received. Meanwhile, the state government agreed to provide retirement benefits to anganwadi workers and helpers. With the government accepting most of their demands, the organisations decided to call off the strike, and the anganwadi workers and helpers were instructed to resume their duties from January 23.
