OCTOBER 13: Over two lakh teachers and helpers in Anganwadis and Balwadis across the state will go on an indefinite hunger strike from Wednesday protesting the state government's failure to address their grievances.Thousands of Anganwadi workers have been staging demonstrations at Azad Maidan for last three days. However, no government official has come to speak to them. Announcing the hunger strike this afternoon, senior Janata Dal leader Mrinal Gore accused Chief Minister Manohar Joshi of not keeping his promise of solving various problems of the Anganwadi workers. She said she would lead a group of 10 activists on an indefinite hunger strike while 50 activists will stage a relay hunger strike in front of the Janata Dal office near Mantralaya. Hundreds of activists will continue with the dharna at Azad Maidan.Gore informed that there were over 80,000 Anganwadi workers and even more Balwadi workers statewide. While the teachers are being paid Rs 675 per month, the helpers are paid a mere Rs 350 permonth towards salary, Gore added. She said the Tamil Nadu government pays Rs 1000 to the teachers and the Pondicherry government pays Rs 900.``Our only demand is that Anganwadi workers be paid according to government pay scale and till the scales are fixed, they should be paid according to the Minimum Wages Act,'' Gore further stated.
