Press release: ALIFA condemns police violence on protesting ASHA workers in Kerala

[napm india]

ALIFA condemns police violence on protesting ASHA workers in Kerala

Seeks immediate, decisive, fair state action on key demands of thousands of women ASHA workers

(Word & PDF Versions of Letter Attached)

PRESS RELEASE

27 October 2025

All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has written to the Chief Minister of Kerala, strongly condemning the police violence on protesting ASHA workers and urging immediate and fair action on their longstanding demands.

ALIFA’s earlier letter to the Chief Minister on 4th September 2025 (acknowledged as [e-10004057/2025/MIN(HEALTH)]) expressed solidarity with the ASHA workers’ struggle and appealed for dialogue. However, despite repeated appeals, no concrete action was taken. The recent use of water cannons, detentions and physical force against thousands of women health workers marks a disturbing turn in a state long regarded as a model for social welfare.

ASHA workers have sustained India’s public health system through epidemics, floods, and the pandemic. Yet, they continue to be treated as “volunteers,” denied a living wage, pensions, or insurance. Their peaceful protest for ₹21,000 per month, retirement benefits, and formal recognition is not an act of defiance—it is a demand for justice.

ALIFA notes that while the Centre’s failure to increase the National Health Mission (NHM) budget has placed immense fiscal pressure on states, such constraints cannot justify repression. Both Centre and State must act in sincere cooperation, not mutual deflection, to address the crisis faced by ASHA workers and to ensure care work is recognised as essential labour.

ALIFA’s Key Demands

1. Immediate withdrawal of all police cases and a public apology from the Kerala Government.

2. Implementation of a living wage and social security measures including pensions and risk insurance.

3. Formal recognition of ASHAs as workers with collective bargaining rights.

4. A national review of the NHM remuneration framework, with higher Centre contribution and indexed payments.

5. Joint Centre–State mechanisms to ensure timely payments, safety and dignity for all ASHA workers

Signed by - 

J Devika, feminist historian, Kerala

Anuradha Banerji, Saheli Women's Resource Centre

Adv Dr Shalu Nigam Delhi NCR

Dr Rukmini Rao, Feminist,  Gramya Resource Centre for Women, Hyderabad

Bhanumathi Kalluri. Director. Dhaatri Trust Hyderabad

Sagari Ramdas , Food Sovereignty Alliance , Telangana

Ashalatha, NAPM, Telangana 

Aparna Thota

K. Sajaya WTO JAC, Hyderabad

Arundhati Dhuru, NAPM, Lucknow 

A. Suneetha, ALIFA, Hyderabad

Shiva, New Delhi

Hechin Haokip, Manipur

Varsha, Research Scholar

Meera Sanghamitra, ALIFA & NAPM, Telangana

Madhu Bhushan, Gamana Mahila Samuha, Karnataka

Arundhati Ghosh, Independent Consultant, Bangalore

Neharika Mahajan, New Delhi

Kavita Srivastava, PUCL, Jaipur

Albertina Almeida, Advocate, Goa

Arti Zodpe, MjSS

Anuradha Talwar, PBKMS

Preeti Oza

Laxmi Murthy, journalist and researcher, Bangalore

Geeta Seshu, Journalist, Mumbai

Nidhi, Gurgaon. Feminist activist.

Jayasree Subramanian, Academician,  Hyderabad

Vandana Prasad, Noida. 

Dr Sanju, Churu, Rajasthan

Devanshi Srivastava, Lucknow

Sabika Abbas

Radhika Desai, Independent Researcher and Consultant

Chayanika Shah, Hasrat-e-Zindagi Mamuli, Mumbai

Faiza Ahmad Khan, Filmmaker, New Delhi.

Meena Saraswathi Seshu, Sangli. 

Dr Preety Edakunny, Bangalore

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