BMS to hold rally demanding govt employee status for health & education workers

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the trade union wing of the Sangh Parivar, is set to stage its second protest rally against the BJP-led Union Government within a month.

On the upcoming Monday, public health and early education workers associated with the BMS will march towards Parliament, urging the Centre to recognize them as government employees and grant them social security benefits. These workers, integral to implementing Union government initiatives like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and the National Health Mission, will voice their demands.

These workers include Anganwadi teachers, helpers, government school cooks, and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) among others, and they rallied under the banner of several central trade unions on November 22. During this protest, they urged for the reinstatement of the old pension scheme. The BMS pledged support for their pursuit of permanent employment.

Pawan Kumar, BMS national secretary, highlighted the enduring nature of these jobs, emphasizing that roles like Anganwadi teachers and mid-day meal cooks are not temporary. He stressed that even after 45 years, there's a consistent demand for ICDS schemes and similar job opportunities. With salaries averaging less than ₹5,000, over one crore people are engaged in such roles.

Mr Kumar affirmed that thousands of these workers intend to converge in the national capital for the protest. BMS leaders plan to meet Union Ministers Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Mansukh Mandaviya, presenting the workers' demands during the protest.