Police foil ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ planned by Anganwadi workers, arrest many leaders

Anganwadi workers and helpers were arrested in Vijayawada after marching to demand regularisation of services, removal of Apps, upgrade of mini-Anganwadi Centres, and increased salaries.

Thousands of Anganwadi workers and helpers who marched to Vijayawada to participate in the ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ demanding to solve their problems were arrested by the police here on September 25.

Leaders of IFTU, CITU, Pragathisheela Mahila Sangham and other organisations called for ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ to bring pressure on the government to solve their demands.

Members of the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union were demanding to regularise their services, remove the new Apps which were creating confusion among the pregnant and lactating women, upgrade mini-Anganwadi Centres into fullfledged Centres, increase salaries and other demands.

Police who said that there was no permission for the Anganwadi Worker’s ‘Chalo Vijayawada’, deployed heavy forces at Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS), Dharna Chowk, railway station and all other major centres in Vijayawada, since dawn.

When the protestors planned to reach the Dharna Chowk in a rally from Andhra Ratna Bhavan, police foiled their attempts and took them into custody on the Eluru Road.

Police arrested the Anganwadi workers at PNBS, M.G. Road, Eluru Road and other centres and shifted them to the nearby police stations.

A.P. Pragathisheela Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union honorary president Rayapaneni Harikrishna, president V.R. Jyothi and secretary Bharathi, IFTU State president, P. Prasad, CITU Anganwadi Workers Union State general secretary Subbaravamma, IFTU State vice-president U. Venkateswara Rao, Anganwadi workers Shoba, Ganga and others were among those arrested.