#JUSTIN: A Flicker of Hope! Kerala Govt Calls ASHA Workers for Talks on Day 52 of Protest
Hope on the Horizon: Kerala Calls ASHA Workers for Talks Amid 52-Day Protest
After 52 days of unrelenting protests outside the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala’s ASHA workers received a lifeline on April 2, 2025, as the state government invited their trade unions for a fresh round of talks.
Health Minister Veena George will host the discussions on Thursday, engaging representatives and union leaders to break a deadlock over demands for higher honoraria and post-retirement benefits. The move follows George’s meeting with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda in New Delhi, hinting at possible central support.
The ASHA workers, vital cogs in Kerala’s health system, have dug in their heels—escalating their agitation with hunger strikes (now on day 14) and dramatic gestures like shaving their heads to protest the government’s “indifference.”
Two prior talks collapsed as the state cited financial woes, but the workers remain defiant. “We’ll stop only when our demands are met,” said V.K. Sadanandan of the Kerala ASHA Health Workers’ Association, buoyed by the latest invite. Mini S, another leader, stressed, “This must focus on our honorarium and pension—no compromise.”
George hinted at optimism, noting the Centre is mulling incentive hikes for ASHA workers under its scheme. For the protesters, it’s a glimmer of hope after weeks of standoff. As Thursday looms, all eyes are on whether this dialogue delivers—or if Kerala’s streets stay a battleground for these frontline warriors.
