Over 2500 anganwadi workers were stalled by the police by water cannons and tear gas shells as they were marching towards the Punjab CM’s residence after waiting for ‘any cabinet minister’ to meet them and address their grievances.
The anganwadi workers walked from Sector 34 before police stopped them at the Aroma light-point.
Nearly 1,000 police officials, including staff from police stations and IRB, had to be called in to control the mob.
The women were sitting on protest in front of the Sector 34 Gurdwara, near their office, since Wednesday morning.
President of the worker’s union, Usha Rani, said, “We are seeking pay-scales to be revised, retirement benefits and other perks. We are only getting Rs 5,000 since many years. Also, the government is not regularising out jobs.â€
It was around 1.30 pm, when no minister came to meet them that the women started marching towards the Punjab CM’s residence. Police laid barricades near Piccadilly square and Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was enforced, the women managed to bypass these and began running towards Madhya Marg.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (South) Urvija Goel said, “We tried to stop them at the dividing road of Sector 34 and 35 but they did not stop. Additional force was called, water cannon and riot control vehicles were then stationed at the Aroma light-point before the women could reach.â€
The protesters were warned by the ASP near the Aroma light-point, saying they were violating Section 144 of the CrPC. When they did not stop, the police shot two warning signals in the air. The women, however, did not stop and tried crossing the light point, following which the police threw tear gas shells and opened the water cannon.
The protesters then sat on the roads and blocked traffic on the dividing road of sectors 21 and 22 for over two hours. SHOs of various police stations and all three Sub-Divisional Police Officers also reached the spot.