‘CM Bhagwant Mann should get his wife to shop with Rs 2,500’: ASHA workers bang utensils in protest, warn AAP govt of 2027 backlash

Hundreds of ASHA workers and ASHA facilitators staged protests outside Deputy Commissioner offices across Punjab on Friday under the banner of the “Bang Utensils, Wake Up Punjab Government” campaign, accusing the state government of failing to fulfil promises made before coming to power.

The state-wide agitation, organised by the ASHA Worker and ASHA Facilitator Union, saw large gatherings in several districts, including Barnala, where workers from the Dhanaula, Mahal Kalan and Tapa blocks assembled and raised slogans against the government.

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Addressing the gathering, Union State President Pawanpreet Kaur alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party had promised before the elections to double the monthly honorarium of ASHA workers from Rs 2,500 and bring them under the ambit of minimum wages. However, she claimed that despite more than four-and-a-half years in office, the government had failed to act on those commitments.

“The government continues to remain in deep slumber despite repeated demands. If women can show patience, they can also rise like the Rani of Jhansi when that patience runs out,” Kaur said, warning that the government could face political consequences in the 2027 Assembly elections if their demands were not addressed.

She demanded that ASHA workers and facilitators be brought under the minimum wage framework and paid a monthly salary of Rs 24,000. The union also sought free healthcare facilities for workers and their families on par with those available to other government employees. Among other demands, it called for a gratuity of Rs 5 lakh, a pension scheme upon retirement at age 62, early appointment letters for candidates who have cleared examinations, and the implementation of a better welfare model for workers in Punjab, similar to that of Haryana.

Another protester, ASHA worker Inderjit Kaur from Sekha village in Barnala district, criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, saying workers had been forced to take to the streets despite assurances that such protests would not be necessary under his government.

She alleged that the Rs 2,500 honorarium received by workers was often delayed by several months and challenged the chief minister to ask his wife to manage a day’s shopping with the same amount to understand the financial hardships faced by workers amid rising inflation.

Inderjit Kaur also accused the government of spending crores of rupees on publicity campaigns while neglecting the concerns of grassroots health workers. She said nearly 27,000 ASHA workers across Punjab were participating in demonstrations in different districts.

The protesters also condemned the use of force against demonstrators during recent protests in Patiala, where large numbers of women had gathered despite restrictions under Section 144. Union leaders criticised the alleged use of lathi-charge and water cannons against workers, saying such measures reflected the government’s unwillingness to address their demands.

The union warned that if its demands were not met at the earliest, the agitation would be intensified in the coming months.