The All Party Trade Unions JAC of Visakhapatnam district has demanded the withdrawal of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), invoked by the State government on Anganwadi workers who have been striking for almost one month now.
A large number of representatives of various trade unions and JAC leaders took out a rally from Ambedkar Statue to the Collectorate as part of their ‘jail bharo’ programme in protest against the ‘indifferent attitude’ of the government towards the demands of the workers.
At the start of the rally, JAC chairman M. Jaggunaidu and vice-chairman M. Manmadha Rao alleged that the YSRCP government was showing its ‘dictatorial rule’ by invoking ESMA on Anganwadi workers. They demanded its immediate withdrawal and alleged that the government was denying the workers their democratic right to protest by detaining them at police stations. They warned that the YSRCP government would pay a heavy price in the elections if it did not put an end to such repressive measures against the workers.
