Priyanka Gandhi slams UP govt for alleged attack on ASHA workers, calls it an 'insult'

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed Uttar Pradesh’s BJP-led government for allegedly attacking Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers in Shahjahanpur. Priyanka Gandhi shared a video on Twitter regarding the incident and said,

"Every attack on the ASHA sisters by the Uttar Pradesh government is an insult to the work done by them. My ASHA sisters have given their services diligently in the COVID pandemic and on other occasions. Receiving an honorarium is their right. It is the duty of the government to listen to them. ASHA sisters deserve respect and I am with them in this fight."

The Congress leader also added that the ASHA workers will be given a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month if the Congress party is voted to power in the state in the upcoming Assembly polls of 2022.

Priyanka Gandhi continued in her tweet, "The Congress party is committed to the right of providing an honorarium to ASHA sisters and if our government is formed, ASHA sisters and Anganwadi workers will be given an honorarium of Rs 10,000 per month."

The state of Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to witness the Assembly polls early next year. During the 2017 UP Assembly elections, the BJP had secured 312 seats in the elections in the 403-member House. Samajwadi Party (SP) had bagged 47 seats, BSP had won 19 while Congress had bagged 7 seats in the previous Assembly polls in the state.

Gandhi slams BJP for shielding criminals

Earlier yesterday, Priyanka Gandhi slammed the BJP for their inaction on Union MoS Ajay Mishra’s alleged connection to the Lakhimpur Kheri incident.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asked Prime Minister Modi, "Who are you protecting?" 

She cited the Supreme Court's recent observation that the UP police did not conduct a fair investigation. She alleged that the ruling party was shielding criminals. Union Minister MoS Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra was arrested for allegedly mowing down four farmers in Lakhimpur.

(with ANI inputs)