The TDP leaders on Saturday demanded that the genuine demands of the striking Anganwadis be conceded immediately.
TDP politburo member, Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, MLC, Panchumarthi Anuradha, former MLA, Tangirala Sowmya and senior party leader, Achanta Sunitha, on Saturday visited the Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada 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 agitational 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, 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 expressed surprise 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 the Chief Minister, the TDP leaders said.
The entire credit of revising the wages goes only to former chief minister, Chandrababu Naidu, they said. “Despite having some budgetary issues, Chandrababu Naidu, as the chief minister of the State, revised the wages of Anganwadis from Rs 4,200 to Rs 10,500 in 2014 in the interest of their welfare,” the TDP senior leaders remarked.
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. Anganwadis are now feeling insecure as the State Government is not bothered about their welfare, the TDP leaders said and stated that with the restrictions imposed the Anganwadi workers are not eligible for Nava Ratnas scheme.
“As per the guidelines issued by the Government, the Anganwadis are not eligible even for pension, Amma Vodi, house-sites and subsidies for building houses,” the senior leaders said and demanded the State government to immediately concede all the genuine demands of the Anganwadis.
