Concede demands of Anganwadi staff: TDP

Vijayawada: The TDP leaders on Saturday demanded that the genuine demands of striking Anganwadi workers be conceded immediately. Party politburo member Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, MLC Panchumarthi Anuradha, former MLC Tangirala Sowmya and senior party leader Achanta Sunitha on Saturday visited the Dharna Chowk here where the Anganwadis are staging a dharna in support of their demands. After expressing solidarity with the striking Anganwadis, the TDP leaders told media persons that as the Anganwadis are on an agitation path for their genuine demands in a democratic manner the state government is adopting a vengeful attitude towards them.

“This clearly reflects the dictatorial and feudal mentality of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. What mistake the Anganwadis committed for taking them into illegal custody and detaining them so indiscriminately,” the TDP leaders asked.

Observing that Jagan has no right to break the locks of the Anganwadi centres, the TDP leaders wondered whether the Chief Minister is running a government or a private army.

Before coming to power Jagan promised the Anganwadis that their wages will be much higher than their counterparts in Telangana once the YSRCP is into power but totally cheated them after becoming Chief Minister, they said.

While the Anganwadis salary is Rs 11,500 in the state now, the salary of their counterparts in Telangana is Rs 13,650, they said. “As per the guidelines issued by the state government, the Anganwadis are not eligible even for pension, Amma Vodi, house-sites and subsidies for building houses,” the senior leaders said.