HYDERABAD: More than 1000 midday meal workers who travelled to the city as part of the 'Chalo Hyderabad' call to demand settlement of salary dues, headed home dejected and deeply disappointed. They will continue their strike until July 25, and wait for the government to respond to their demands.
"We don't enjoy doing this, nut we are helpless," said Pratibha, a worker.
A tearful Gouramma asked, "Is this the 'Bangaru Telangana' that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao promised? It has become 'boodidi' (ash) for us."
Her colleague Monavva said, "We haven't been receiving our basic salaries for close to 10 months now. Asking the government to keep its promise of an increased honorarium is still a dream, but what about our salaries? Will all the ministers and officials stay quiet if they didn't receive their humongous salaries on the scheduled date?"
After their 3-day strike from July 10 did not evoke response from the government, workers from Nirmal, Kothagudem, Adilabad and Karimnagar, protested at the Dharna Chowk. They were joined by Anganwadi workers, who expressed their solidarity with the protestors. "Politicians talking of women's safety and security show how they use words for votes," said Monavva, a worker.
Another worker Renu, from Nirmal, said, "They are definitely going to come to us begging for votes in a few months, I don't know with what face they're going to do that."
The workers said that their regular vendors are running away' at the very sight of women approaching them. "We don't blame him. Every official we tried meeting at the mandal level, including DEOs and collectors, are only passing the buck," a worker said.
