A day after the fourth Foundation Day celebrations of the Kerala government, ASHA workers protesting outside the State Secretariat said on Tuesday that if the government has done some work in the public interest, the public should feel its benefits in reality, only there is no need to promote it.
‘Kerala Asha Health Workers Association’ (KAHWA) General Secretary M.A. Bindu said this while commenting on the State Government’s Foundation Day celebrations. The government is releasing a list of public welfare works done in its four -year tenure under these celebrations.
Talking to reporters, Bindu alleged that on the one hand the government is saying that the honorarium of recognized social health workers (Asha) performing it is not money to increase the three thousand rupees, while on the other hand it is spending hugely in organizing a grand ceremony.
He said, “If the government has done something for the people, then the public should feel its own benefit. There is no need to spread publicity through such a huge expenditure.”
Bindu also said that what the government is spending is the money of the general public.
He alleged that the government’s stance on the peaceful protests being carried out by women is “undemocratic”, so they are now going to take a statewide protest journey from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram.
A group of ASHA workers led by KAHWA have been protesting outside the Secretariat for the last 72 days.
They demand that they be given benefits after retirement and honorarium should be increased.