Anganwadi workers to go to court against ESMA imposition

Will do everything possible to address workers’ demands: Gahlot

Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (DSAWHU) on Friday said they will legally fight to revoke the “oppressive imposition” of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to prohibit anganwadi workers from protesting.

The union added that if the act is not revoked by the court, they will violate the ESMA and resume the strike.

The strike by women anganwadi workers that had continued for 38 days outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence was suspended on Wednesday after the government invoked the ESMA and prohibited their strike for six months. 

Meanwhile, during his visit to two Anganwadi centres in Humayunpur and Nizamuddin on Friday, the new Women and Child Development Minister Kailash Gahlot appealed to all protesting workers to resume services.  “I have assured them that the Delhi Government will do everything in its capacity to address and resolve the demands and grievances they face,” Mr. Gahlot said.  Speaking to the media, DSAWHU president Shivani Kaul said the ESMA was enacted jointly by the Delhi government and the Centre-appointed Lieutenant-Governor. She called the invocation “anti-people” and “anti-worker”, saying it deprived the workers of their right to strike. “This law gives a free hand to force workers with unpaid labour and attacks the fundamental rights of workers,” Ms. Kaul said. 

The protesters 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. On February 24, the Delhi government had announced that it had raised the salary of anganwadi workers and helpers to ₹12,720 and ₹6,810 respectively. However, the protesting workers rejected the honorarium revision and said they will continue their strike outside the Chief Minister’s residence as the hike was “too little”.