Asha workers' union stage protest in Patiala

PATIALA: Demanding fixed salary, minimum wages and medical coverage, numerous Asha workers under the banner of 'All India ASHA workers union' staged a protest and took out a march here on Tuesday.

The protesters held black flags and started their march from the City bus stand to the residence of the health minister Bram Mohindra. They also raised anti-government.

A minor scuffle took place when the cops tried to stop the protestors from reaching the health minister's house. The protesters later submitted a memorandum to the additional deputy commissioner, Showkat Ahmed Parray.

The general secretary of Asha worker union, Jaswinder Kaur, said that the government should provide a monthly salary of at least Rs 8,403, along with Rs 2 lakh insurance cover. She added that it was a long pending demand of the workers, who also wanted the government to give allowance for their mobile phones as they had to spend a lot of money on their phone bills.

"We are demanding maternity leave and ex-gratia to family members in case of death, job to a kin on compensatory grounds, monthly fixed salary and insurance," Kaur said and added that they would intensify the protest if demands were not met.