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.
They demanded that the government stop implementing such measures and solve the just demands of Anganwadi and municipal workers and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan employees.
They recalled that no State government, which created problems for employees and workers, had survived in the past. They said that only JAC constituents had participated in Tuesday’s ‘jail bharo’ programme. But if the government failed to withdraw ESMA, they would rope in the support of all political parties and the public and intensify the agitation.
Scores of workers were taken into custody during the rally, and taken to the Police Barracks and detained there, according to JAC chairman Jaggunaidu. The arrested JAC leaders included: K.M. Srinivas, R.K.S.V. Kumar (CITU), Padala Ramana (AITUC) and K. Mallayya (IFTU).
