* Workers alleged that instead of fulfilling promises made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Department harassed them by terminating their services.
* Ask whether the Government staging agitation for rightful demand is an offence in Democratic Country?
Goemkarponn desk
PONDA: The seven terminated workers (office-bearers) of all Goa Union of Anganwadi workers threatened to launch an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan from May 11 in protest against illegal removal from jobs.
The seven office bearers of All Goa Union of Anganwadi Workers Committee addressed to media along with the Union Lawyer today and demanded justice from Government.
They condemned the harassment by the Women and Child Welfare Department by terminating them from service for staging workers agitation in December 2021 for their demands.
The workers questioned Government whether staging agitation for rightful demand is an offence in Democratic Country?
The seven workers, including President of Anganwadi Workers Devyani Tamse, demanded justice from Government. She alleged that instead of fulfilling promises made by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Department harassed them by terminating their services.
Union Lawyer Hridaynath Shirodkar said that the Director of Women and Child Development failed to clarify under which provisions of rules they are terminated. One of the reasons given by the director of child and women development is that these seven workers had helped and supported the Congress party at the time of the assembly election?
He said this was an illegal and political order by Director and that workers would continue their fight against harassment. He said Director should clear under which rules seven workers are terminated.
Meanwhile, the seven office-bearers said all the Anganwadi workers/helpers from twelve Talukas had staged their agitation in December 2021 to protest and attract the Government’s attention against the injustice they met.
Their fight was against the minimum wage, which was not hiked for ten years. However, since then, the Director started harassment.
The seven workers said it’s the past ten years, they were not given any increment in salary beside there were other pending demands.
Following the agitation, Chief Minister had held a discussion on their demands.
He had promised them to fulfil three demands, including increment in remuneration, retirement benefit, and benefit of appointing their nominee. Seven office-bearers(workers) also reminded that CM had also promised them that Government would not take action against any single agitating workers.
However, despite this promise, the seven office-bearers claimed that the seven-member Office Bearers Committee’s right from President to treasurers is terminated by Director.
Following this, recently, the members met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who had assured them that their termination orders would be revoked.