Protest cannot be destroyed by order, says ASHA Health Workers; Assembly march tomorrow

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association state general secretary MA Bindu said that the ASHA workers' protest cannot be broken by issuing an order at midnight to appoint community volunteers. She was inaugurating the march to the NHM State Mission office, which had issued the controversial order.

Hundreds of ASHA workers took part in the protest march that started from the protest site in front of the secretariat. They protested by burning the order in front of the NHM office at the General Hospital. The order allocates funds for training at the ward level to appoint community volunteers to Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres.

"There is an evil intention behind issuing such an order at the height of the life-and-death struggle of ASHAs. The protest's success is the necessity of all those who work for a living," she said. State president VK Sadanandan presided over the march. The march was led by the association's state vice president S Mini and district leaders KP Rosamma, Rosy M, A Saboora and others.

Assembly march tomorrow

A march will be held to the assembly tomorrow demanding that the demands of the ASHAs be accepted. The protest will enter its 21st day today.

Solidarity of BDJS

On the instructions of BDJS State President Thushar Vellappally, state and district leaders under the leadership of BDJS District President D Premraj declared solidarity with the ASHAs. State General Secretary Nedumangad Rajesh, Secretary Aluvila Ajith, District General Secretary Venu Karanavar, and district office bearers KP Ambiran, Aneeshdevan, Danjudas, Mannanthala Mukesh, Aji, K Sreekumar, RD Sivanandan, and Thozhuvancode Vijikumar demanded that the problems of the ASHAs be resolved amicably.