An Open Letter to CPM Delegates

On the occasion of the CPM’s 24th party congress in Madurai, to analyse the political situation of India and the world and to formulate action plans, this letter is to invite your attention to the struggle of ASHA workers in Kerala which has been going on for the past 52 days.

Accredited Social Health Activist programme was a scheme evolved by first UPA government in 2005 to provide basic services in rural health sector. At first, ASHA workers’ job was voluntary work for a few hours on a day. But later, their responsibilities were enhanced and their work turned out to be a full-time occupation. They started struggling for rights such as incentive, honorarium, leave, retirement benefits, pension etc. States such as Andhra, Telengana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, Orissa Bihar, West Bengal and Union Territories like Pondicherry declared several benefits.

South Indian states enhanced honorarium on their own several times. Kerala was also in the forefront in these moves. The Government of Kerala enhanced its share of honorarium to Rs 7000 in various stages up to 2023 yet, the LDF government has adopted an extremely negative approach to the day-and-night strike from10th February, 2025 onwards and the hunger strike for the past ten days staged by ASHA workers in front of the secretariat demanding for increase of honorarium, for pension, and retirement benefits. CPI (M) leaders including ministers try to insult and discredit struggling women. They argue that the struggle should be directed against the Union government and that the state cannot solve the problem due to economic constraints.

Even though the striking workers were called for negotiation, nothing happened. The government raised the same arguments and advised workers to call off the strike. Even while struggling against the Union government to make ASHA workers permanent and entitle them legal service rights and wages, there have been struggles in states for relief measures. Trade unions including CITU have taken up struggle in different states for enhanced wages, leave, retirement benefits etc. Even if it is a project conceived by Union government on 60:40 basis, about 80% of the expenses is borne in Kerala and other states by the states themselves. On 20th January CITU itself had organised a secretariat march demanding for increase in honorarium for ASHA workers. It is up to the state government to concede the three main demands raised by ASHA workers. States should coordinate their efforts to get the Union government’s share enhanced. A broad struggle front should be opened for that. But it is not at all a leftist approach to stick on to the view that no relief measures will be undertaken till this materialises. The bargaining capacity of struggling organisations including those affiliated to CITU will be adversely affected by the negative approach of Kerala’s ruling LDF government. ASHA workers had struggled in different states for benefits and have received honorarium up to Rs 10,000. These were not granted by Union government. It was the state government who decided 62 as the retirement age. The workers demand that there should be no retirement without benefits.

It is not for the first time that ASHA workers are struggling in front of the secretariat, raising various demands. Honorarium was raised to Rs 7000 as a result. On 20th January, 2025, CITU conducted a secretariat March demanding to raise honorarium to Rs 15,000.

ASHA workers are also demanding that the LDF government should implement the promises made in their election manifesto of 2021. The promises are the following:

“Pensions will be raised to Rs. 2,500 stage by stage. Benefits of all scheme workers such as Anganwadi, ASHA workers, Resource Teachers, Cooking Workers, Kutumbashree Workers, NHM hands, School Social Counselorsetc will be revised appropriately. Minimum wages will be raised to Rs 700. Welfare measures for guest workers will be improved. Special schemes will be implemented for domestic labour.”

The party congress could direct the state government to fulfill these responsibilities.

ASHA workers have in different states on different occasions undertaken struggles and got their service and wages improved by their governments. CITU had led such struggles in Karnataka, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana etc.

It is a reality that the Union government appropriates more and more financial resources and withdraws from social security sectors and curtails labour rights. But do not make it as a n alibi for denying the just demands of struggling ASHA in Kerala.

Your Congress should give direction to the state government to initiate possible relief measures for ASHA workers, using the state’s own resources.

When Governments in the world turn far right, the Party Congress should persuade the state government to prove their commitment to the left ideology by supporting the just demands of ASHA workers in Kerala. This is an opportunity to demonstrate to the world that Kerala is different. We request the delegates of the congress to give direction to the state government to utilise this opportunity to prove that we will listen to the voice of the most oppressed women workers and care for them.

[Prof K Sachidanandan (President, Kerala Sahithya Academy), Prof Sara Joseph (Writer), KGS (Poet), Prof B Rajeevan (Critic), K Ajitha (Feminist activist), Prof M N Karassery (Writer), Thiruvanandapuram]
02-04-2025