Demanding a minimum wage of 15,000 rupees, Asha workers besieged the health building

ASHA workers on Wednesday gheraoed the Health Building in Kolkata's Salt Lake and demanded a minimum wage of at least Rs 15,000 among other demands. The situation turned tense as police tried to stop the march, leading to a scuffle between the ASHA workers and the police, and the entire area was temporarily turned into a battleground.

The ASHA workers had marched to the Health Building as part of a pre-announced program. As the procession advanced, the police set up barricades to stop them, which enraged the ASHA workers, who broke through the barricades one by one. There were clashes with the police at several points, and the police struggled to bring the situation under control.

The protesters claim that around 3,000 ASHA workers are working across the state and have been demanding a minimum wage of Rs 15,000 for a long time. They allege that although there has been some increase in allowances, it is inadequate compared to inflation and has not addressed their basic issues.

The ASHA workers have warned that if their demands are not met with concrete action soon, they will start an indefinite protest in front of the Health Building. A large number of ASHA workers are currently sitting in protest outside the main gate of the Health Building.

The health department's gate has been closed due to security reasons, and a large police force has been deployed in the area. The entire area has been under tight security arrangements since morning, with barricades set up at multiple levels, yet the protesters continued to register their protest.