Anganwadi workers on overnight protest outside WCD Dept.’s office

‘AAP govt. lying that they are paying highest honorarium’

Protesting anganwadi workers and helpers have intensified their strike by launching overnight protests outside the headquarters of Women and Child Development (WCD) Department at ISBT Kashmere Gate.

Dozens of women workers have been sitting outside the office, demanding the government to withdraw an order issued last week warning them of disciplinary action if they did not join work.

On Friday, a group of the protesting workers went to the WCD headquarters in ISBT Kashmere Gate building, broke a barricade and stepped inside the building. Since then, they have been sitting on protest outside the headquarters of the WCD Department.

“The office was functioning today (Monday) but they were protesting outside and trying to create obstruction. Not all of them are anganwadi workers and helpers. Some workers are also being threatened to not open anganwadi centres by the protesters,” WCD Director Rashmi Singh told The Hindu.

Day 29 of protest

Hundreds of women anganwadi workers and helpers, under the banner of the Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DSAWHU), have been protesting near Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence in north Delhi for the past 29 days. They have been demanding that the honorarium of workers and helpers be increased to ₹25,000 and ₹20,000 respectively, and their services be regularised with retirement benefits.

The DSAWHU on Monday said the AAP government was on a “lying spree”, in context of the claims made by Ministers that anganwadi workers of Delhi were paid the most among all States.