Anganwadi workers booked for protest: ‘It is undemocratic’

TARNTARAN :The police on Thursday booked 34 anganwadi workers, including nine by name, for violating prohibitory orders and protesting outside the district administration complex (DAC) in Tarn Taran on Wednesday.

The protesters were gathered outside the DAC against the government’s decision to merge 800 primary schools with nearby ones, and the decision of starting pre-primary classes in these schools by merging anganwadi centres.

The accused named include anganwadi workers’ union block chief Sarabjit Kaur of Jamaslpur, circle president of Goindwal Sahib Ranjit Kaur, Sarabjit Kaur and Kulwinder Kaur (presidents of Khadoor Sahib unit), and Rajwinder Kaur, chief of Naushehra Pannuan block.

As per the FIR, sub-inspector (SI) Sonamdeep Kaur of Tarn Taran sadar police station was present in complex when the workers staged a dharna outside the complex. The women raised anti-government slogans, burnt an effigy of chief minister Captain Amrinder Singh and stopped traffic on the Amritsar-Harike National Highway, says the FIR. The SI said the accused had disobeyed orders of the district magistrate. “A case under sections 283 (danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation), 341 (wrongful restraint), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), and other charges as per the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the accused, who are absconding,” she said.

‘WE ARE LOSING JOBS’

District president of the ’ union, Beant Kaur said their intention on Wednesday was for a peaceful dharna but police didn’t allow them to enter and they were forced to hold a sit-in outside.

She said, “About 54,000 workers are losing jobs, and the administration is wresting our right to protest. This is undemocratic.”

On Thursday, the workers protested outside the residence of MLA Dharambir Agnihotri.