Over 5000 COVID center cleaning staff hold hunger strike in Guwahati

Guwahati: Over five thousand COVID-19 Safai Karmi (cleaning staffs) on Tuesday observed hunger strike against the government and the Health department's indifferent attitude towards the COVID-19 warriors at Sasal area in Guwahati.

A protester Safai Karmi said that they are bound to hold this strike as during the COVID pandemic the Health Department of Assam appointed them as Lab Technicians, ward boys, and cleaning staff promising a lot, but then did not deliver any of those.

During the time of coronavirus outbreak in the state, the Health Department of Assam appointed these people temporarily. State's Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma promised a lot to these workers, but despite that after the cases of COVID 19 decreased in the state and closure of the cleaning centers all the cleaning workers were released from their jobs after November 20 this year.

The protester Safai Karmi said, "earlier this week one of our COVID warrior Amrit Bahadur Domai committed suicide in Tezpur. He was forced to take such a step, and in future rest of us will also take such drastic step of suicide. If our issues were not solved."

He further said, "We came out to help you at that time and despite that, we got nothing from the government. The BJP government indeed speak about solving unemployment issues almost in every meeting but what they have done to us, is this how the government is solving issues of unemployment."

The protesters asked the Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to think about the lives of the COVID warriors those who were at the forefront in the medical fraternity's war against COVID. The protesters said, if the government does not solve these problems soon they will intensify their stir and would not hesitate to go against them.

Earlier on December 18 demanding the regularization of their jobs, All Assam COVIDing -19 Safai Karmi held a protest at Dighalipukhuri area of Guwahati. And on July 23 a protest over non-payment of their wages was held by the temporary cleaning employees of Sarusajai.

Meanwhile, Laboratory technicians have also been continuously protesting against the same issue in Guwahati as they were reportedly fired from their jobs in October this year with just remuneration and experience or appreciation certificate, despite the government promising that after three months their jobs would be made permanent.

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