Mid-Day Meal Workers from Across the Country Hold Protest at Jantar Mantar
ON November 19, 2018, Mid-Day Meal workers from all across the country gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest the Modi government's inaction with regard to their pay and work conditions. Workers from Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and other states participated in the protest along with their demands. AICCTU along with other central trade unions participated in the program. They demanded raising of pay from the existing Rs.1200 per month to Rs. 18000 per month.
Ever since Modi government has come to power it has been consistently cutting down the budget of various welfare schemes. It has been only helping the corporates using the hard-earned money of the workers. The protest gathering was also addressed by CPI MP Com. D. Raja and JNUSU President Com. N Sai Balaji. Leaders of different central trade unions also spoke at the protest meeting.
Com. Saroj Chaubey, from the Bihar Mid Day Meal Workers Union (AICCTU) addressing the protest meeting said that the Bihar state government instead of heeding the demands of the mid-day meal workers has been following the center's cue. Com. Geeta Mandal from the AICCTU affiliated All India Scheme Workers Federation said , 'The central govt gives only Ra. 1250 per month, this is clear exploitation and we demand that a minimum of Rs. 18000 should be given to us. Almost all mid-day meal workers are women and the govt has to ensure safe and dignified employment for them. Com. Rajiv Dimri, National General Secretary of AICCTU said that the government has been continuously trying to privatise the mid-day meal scheme, we demand that all scheme workers must get the legally mandated minimum wages and dignified employment'
A memorandum with the demands of the mid-day meal workers was submitted to the Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley. The protest also resolved that all mid-day meal workers will participate and campaign for the two day strike called by central trade unions on 8-9 January.
