10,000 women sleep on Bengaluru roads all night for their rights

Thousands of women from all over Karnataka took to the street on Tuesday, and they even spent the entire night on the road, bringing the traffic of Bengaluru city to a standstill. The women, who were paid a low salary were demanding an increase in their incentives. The mass strike was held as their demands were not met in the recently presented state Budget.

Nidumamidi Seer too joined the workers and took part in the meeting convened by the CM to plan a solution for this problem. According to the latest reports, the anganawadi workers have agreed to call off the strike and CM will call the representatives concerned for a second meeting on April 19. The CM had said that  as the code of conduct is in effect due to by-polls in two constituencies, the state is not in a position to promise anything right away and a discussion in this regard will be held on April 19 as soon as the election results are out. But the women have taken a decision that they will continue to protest till their demands are met.

The protest was a strong decision of the women as they had left behind their children and family and were staging a protest on the road without proper food, and even toilet facilities.

Meanwhile, reports said that there workers fell ill and have been admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru. Many have travelled more than 500 km to take part in the protest.

The protesters gathered at the city Railway Station in Bengaluru at 12 pm on Tuesday and walked in a procession scheduled to reach the Freedom Park. They walked via Anand Rao Circle flyover but changed their mind and did not go to the Freedom Park. Instead, 10,000 protesters stood on the road in front of the DGP office in front of the state prisons department.

This unexpected move led to major traffic problem as vehicles stood still for eight hours on Sheshadripuram Road, Ananda Rao Circle, KG Road, Okalipur, Central,, Mysore Road, Goodshed Road, Halasur Gate, Corporation Circle, Mysore Bank, Shivananda Circle, Race Course Road, Chalukya Road, Mekhri Circle, Hebbal, Queens Road, Shivajinagar, MG Road, Kasturba Road, Commerical Street Road, Richmond Circle, Indian Express Road, Malleshwaram, Navarang, Rajajinagar, Rajkumar Road, Bashyam Road, Basaveshwar Nagar, Shankar Mutt and Magadi Road.

But if they had proceeded towards the Freedom Park, the intensity of their protest would not have reached every single citizen in Bengaluru. Their unexpected move to staff road made every Bengalurean speak about the issue, which led to a quick action and assurance to fulfill their demands.

Their demands

1) Anganawadi assistants incentives should be increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 7,000

2) Anganawadi workers incentives should be increased from Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000

3) There should be separate appointments for workers to take part in Bhagyalakshmi bond distribution and polio campaigns

4) Need to revise rules for appointment of anganawadi workers

5) Incentives should be increased on the basis of service experience

6) Anganawadi centres should not come under RTE

7) Separate rules to appoint anganawadi workers and assistants

8) With salary leave for health-related issues

9) Vacant seats of anganawadi workers should be filled immediately