ASHA Workers Organise Rail Chakka Jam in Bihar
CARRYING forward the ongoing ASHA workers movement in Bihar demanding Rs. 18,000 per month honorarium along with several other demands in a 12 point charter of demands, ASHA workers across Bihar organized a massive Rail Chakka Jam on 27 December 2018. Across Bihar, including in Patna, the ASHA workers got down on railway tracks and blocked them thereby bringing the rail transport to halt for nearly 2 hours and taking forward their movement to a more decisive turn. Nearly one lakh ASHA workers in Bihar have been on an indefinite strike on the call of ‘ASHA Sanyukt Sangarsh Manch’ (ASHA united struggle forum). The statewide protest call had been given to force the Nitish –Modi governments to break their silence over the demands of the ASHA workers.
As part of the statewide Rail Stopping Movement, State ASHA workers Sangh (Gope group) that has been a part of the ASHA Sanyukt Sangarsh Manch, too active part in the programme. Under the leadership of the President of the State ASHA workers Sangh, Com. Shashi Yadav, AICCTU state secretary Com. Ranvijay Kumar and several other leaders, thousands of ASHA workers reached Phulwari Sharif early morning, and blocked the rail tracks from 9.30 am to 10.45 am. As a result Danapur- Rajgir Passenger had to stay at platform number 1 for more than hour, causing other trains also to halt. The intensity of the protests can be gauged from the fact that in Patna district alone, nearly half a dozen stations at- Phulwari Sharif, Patna Sahib, Punpun, Taregna, Daniyavaan, Fatuha were affected by the protests. In Patna Sahib, the Shramjivi express was stopped by ASHA workers under the leadership of Com. Saroj Chaubey and Com. Rakhi Mehto.
Nearly 150 stations across Bihar were affected by the protests including stations in Jehanabad, Sasaram, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Gopalganj, Bhabua, Khagaria, Jamalpur, Darbhanga, Kishanganj, Madhepuram Supaul, Jamui, Munger and also Nalanda, the home district of the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. In Katihar, CPI (ML) MLA Com. Mehboob Alam also joined the protests. In several places protestors were also arrested. In Bhabua nearly 300 ASHA workers were arrested.
In a statement released jointly by state ASHA workers sangh president Com. Shashi Yadav, AICCTU state Secretary Com. Ranvijay Kumar, Honorary President of the Mahasangh Gope group, Com. Rambali Prasad, leader of the ASHA workers Sangh Com. Kaushlendra Kumar Verma, leaders of the ASHA Sangarsh Samiti Com. Pramila Devi and Com. Viswanath Singh- a protest demonstration was announced on 29 December. The protest-demonstrations by ASHA workers and their families will be held at all the district health committee offices. On 2 January 2019, a batchwise hunger strike will begin at all the primary health care centres and on 8-9 January, participating in the nationwide trade union strike, all district offices will be gheraoed.
