Anganwadi workers cane charged again, many injured
COUNTERVIEW Police say protestors manhandled some women cops, misbehaved with commuters
LUCKNOW: For the second consecutive day on Tuesday, city police cane-charged anganwadi workers, who blocked the busy Hazratganj crossing for nearly 24 hours, throwing normal traffic out of gear. The protestors were demanding hike in their remuneration. The protestors claimed that the cane charge left 50 of them injured and in need of medical treatment.
LUCKNOW: For the second consecutive day on Tuesday, city police cane-charged anganwadi workers, who blocked the busy Hazratganj crossing for nearly 24 hours, throwing normal traffic out of gear. The protestors were demanding hike in their remuneration.
Condemning police action, the anganwadi workers accused the state government of being cruel to them. “They mercilessly attacked unarmed protestors, leaving many of us injured. This is no way the government treats women,” said a worker. The protestors claimed that the cane charge left over 50 of them injured and in need of treatment.
To clear the Hazratganj crossing and the road leading to the Vidhan Bhawan, the police pushed the agitators inside the GPO Park. But while the anganwadi workers alleged cruelty, cops accused them of aggression. Police said they manhandled some of the women cops and misbehaved with commuters. “Following this, they were cane charged,” said a police officer.
Meanwhile, the protestors threatened to continue their agitation “despite police atrocities”.
All through the day, they chanted slogans against the state government. “The BJP had promised hike in our remuneration before the election,” claimed an aganwadi worker.
Former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav also took to Twitter in support of the protestors and asked the BJP to fulfil its promises.
TRAFFIC CRIPPLED
The protest crippled traffic movement as people struggled to reach their destination. The situation was especially bad for school children, their parents
and office-goers, who got stuck at Hazratganj crossing and the roads around it. Ambulances and school buses were stopped too. Travellers heading to the Charbagh railway station were also in for a rude shock. The situation remained bad for 24 hours.
“All roads leading to Hazratganj were horrible. The ongoing construction of Lucknow Metro coupled with the aganwadi workers’ protest made life difficult for commuters. I had to leave home one hour earlier to pick up my daughter from La Martiniere Girls College. Vehicles moved at snail’s pace,” said resident Hina Khan.
Earlier on Monday night, the protestors squatted in the area. Many even slept there, causing inconvenience to passersby, especially patients being taken to Jhalkari Bai and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee hospitals.