Mon Feb 24 18:31:48 UTC 2025: ## CPI(M) Leader Criticizes ASHA Workers’ Strike as Politically Motivated
**Thiruvananthapuram, February 25, 2025** – CPI(M) leader and former Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem has condemned the ongoing strike by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in Kerala, dismissing it as a politically motivated agitation instigated by “unlawful organizations” and amplified by right-wing media and the opposition.
In an article published in the Deshabhimani newspaper, Kareem accused the ASHA workers of being misled and manipulated. He highlighted the lack of media attention given to a previous 48-hour strike by a CITU-affiliated ASHA workers’ federation. He argued that the current strike is a deliberate attempt to damage the Left Democratic Front government’s image.
Kareem attributed the ASHAs’ lack of official worker status and benefits to the central government, claiming that salaries and benefits can only be provided to those appointed through the Public Service Commission or employment exchanges. He also defended the LDF government’s record on ASHA welfare, citing past increases in honorariums and the securing of incentives and insurance coverage.
Kareem’s statement suggests a strong party line against the ongoing protests, framing them as politically opportunistic rather than a genuine reflection of the ASHA workers’ concerns. The ASHA workers’ strike continues, highlighting the ongoing dispute over their working conditions and benefits.
First Piper 