A collective of voluntary community health workers, known as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), has formally requested actors Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Kamal Haasan to refrain from attending the official event on November 1, where Kerala is slated to be declared "extreme poverty-free."
Operating under the banner of the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association (KAHWA), these dedicated workers have been engaged in an indefinite sit-in strike directly in front of the government Secretariat since February 2025. Their primary demands include a significant increase in their monthly honorarium and improved retirement benefits, among other critical issues.
In a heartfelt open letter addressed to the esteemed actors, the ASHAs articulated that their personal struggles, trials, and tribulations undeniably expose the hollow nature of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s assertion that extreme poverty has been eradicated in Kerala. They accuse the government of consistently ignoring their protests and turning a blind eye to their plight.
Over the past nine months, these committed ASHAs have endured harsh conditions, including sleeping on pavements and facing police action. This includes a recent water cannon charge during a march to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s official residence in Thiruvananthapuram, all in an effort to keep their cause alive. Despite their persistent efforts and considerable hardships, the government has, according to the workers, dismissed their suffering and treated their demands with contempt.
KAHWA emphasized the profound sacrifices made by its members, recalling that at least 11 ASHAs tragically lost their lives to COVID-19 while providing essential community health care services during the pandemic. They argue that these immense sacrifices for the welfare of society have been shamefully overlooked by the LDF government.
This powerful appeal from KAHWA comes as the state gears up for a high-profile, star-studded mega-event. During this ceremony, the Chief Minister is expected to proclaim Kerala as the first Indian state to have successfully eradicated extreme poverty in Thiruvananthapuram. The LDF government has aggressively promoted "extreme poverty eradication" as its flagship accomplishment, particularly in this crucial election year.
Earlier in July, CPI(M) State secretary M.V. Govindan had urged KAHWA to participate in a national strike organized by Left trade unions. This strike aimed to pressure the Central government-controlled National Health Mission (NHM) to grant ASHAs official worker status instead of classifying them merely as volunteers. However, KAHWA chose not to join, while other ASHA groups aligned with the LDF did participate.
Subsequently, the CPI(M) controversially labeled KAHWA as a front for an "anti-government rainbow alliance," alleging ties with the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and certain "anarchist" factions.
In response to some of the demands, the State government had previously increased the monthly honorarium for ASHAs to ₹7,000. It also established a five-member committee tasked with reviewing their various other demands. Furthermore, the government waived specific criteria for emoluments payments following a meeting between KAHWA representatives and Health Minister Veena George.