Nearly 3,000 anganwadi workers, assistants detained as they block roads

Nearly 3,000 anganwadi workers and the assistants were detained as they blocked vehicular traffic in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, and Kanniyakumari districts on Tuesday to highlight their demands, including timescale as promised by the DMK in its poll manifesto in 2021.

The protesting anganwadi workers said timescale should be given to the anganwadi workers and the assistants and recognise them as “government employees” as promised by the DMK in its poll manifesto in 2021. Besides giving the minimum pension of ₹9,000, the anganwadi workers should be given the gratuity of ₹10 lakh while giving ₹5 lakh to the anganwadi assistants.

Like the teachers, the anganwadi workers, and the assistants should be given 30-day summer holiday in May every year, they said.

As the anganwadi workers and the assistants staged road roko at Vannarpet, 401 protesters were arrested and taken to a private marriage hall.

CITU State vice-president Russel presided over the road roko organised in front of Thoothukudi Anna Bus-Stand where the police arrested 1,056 anganwadi workers and the assistants.

In Nagercoil, the police arrested more than 800 protesters who staged road roko near Anna Bus Stand.

Similar agitation was organised in Tenkasi where the police detained more than 500 protesters. The detained protesters were released in the evening.