Anganwadi workers stage protests, detained

Vijayawada: Tense situation prevailed here on Monday as thousands of Anganwadi workers, midday meal workers and workers of various other organisations staged protests across the city demanding fulfilment of promises made by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to them in the past.

Thousands of Anganwadi workers from across the state descended on the city to convey their protest against the government. They planned to conduct a state level sit-in at Vijayawada Dharna Chowk on Monday under the aegis of CITU and various trade unions. A large number of anganwadi workers reached the city by buses, trains and other transportation facilities.

On the other hand, police imposed restrictions on these demonstrations and stopped the workers everywhere when they tried to reach the Dharna Chowk for participating in the protest. At many places, heated exchanges took place between Anganwadi workers and police.

Police detained a number of Anganwadi activists and forcibly dragged them into the police vehicles. The police arrested around 2,630 Anganwadi workers officially and sent them to various police stations and places under the Vijayawada police Commissionorate limits.

Due to these arrests, all the Vijayawada police stations were filled with Anganwadi workers. Out of 2630 workers, 130 were detained at Vijayawada I Town police station, 200 at Ajith Singh Nagar police station, 50 at Machavaram police station, 160 persons at Governorpet, 100 members at Krishnalanka, 245 persons at police headquarters, 400 agitators at AR Grounds, 390 persons at Patamata police station, 97 at Bhavanipuram, 160 at Nunna police station, 107 at Ibrahimpatnam police station and 600 persons at Kandukuri Kalyana Mandapam.

On the other hand, midday meal workers also staged a protest in Vijayawada. They also took out a rally in the city before they too were taken into custody.