After facing backlash from the opposition, Bihar police again resorted to lathi-charge and used water cannons to disperse the Anganwadi protestors on November 9. This is the second day of protests by the Anganwadi workers in the state. Earlier, on November 7 Anganwadi protesters had gheraoed the Vidhan Sabha demanding an honorarium hike.
The Bihar police used water cannons to disperse the agitators. In the chaos, an Anganwadi worker fainted as the police continued lathi charge and water cannons against the workers. Protestors raised slogans against the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Government, demanding an honorarium hike.
“Who can survive on Rs 5000?”. This is how we are treated when we ask for our rights. Unless we get paid like a Government worker, we won’t stop protesting”, one of the protestors said.
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) workers on November 7, staged a protest outside Vidhan Sabha against the State Government over the use of water cannons on Anganvadi workers and the caste-based census report.
Anganwadi workers have been demanding an increase in their honorarium and status of as government employees. The workers said that they have five demands from the state government, of which the status of a government employee and an increase in honorarium is the utmost priority. The Anganwadi workers claimed , the Supreme Court had also directed to give the workers benefit of gratuity but the Bihar Government was not considering it.
Slamming the Bihar Government over use of water cannon to disperse Anganwadi protestors outside Bihar Assembly, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said that this Government has destroyed law and order in the State.
“The Bihar government of Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav has become a Government of ‘lathi and goli’. Intense water cannon was used on Anganwadi workers (to disperse them) which is a crime against women. They went there to put forth their demands from the state government as per their democratic right. This Government has destroyed law and order. They have committed a huge crime by doing such an act,” Nityanand Rai said.
(with inputs from ANI)
