Thousands of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers marched through the streets of Kolkata on Wednesday (January 21, 2026), demanding a revision of their monthly honorarium to ₹15,000 and a meeting with senior Health Department officials.
Clad in purple saris and kurtas, ASHA workers from different districts converged on the city for the second time this year, following a similar march on January 7. The workers, who serve as a crucial link between rural communities and the healthcare system, said they had been assured of a meeting with State Health Department officials but were instead met with barricades, and many had to face detention.
The protesters are demanding an increase in their monthly honorarium from ₹5,250 to ₹15,000, ₹5 lakh compensation in case of death on duty, and formal recognition as healthcare workers. They said that despite being responsible for the care of pregnant women and newborns, they themselves are denied maternity leave.
‘Why this crackdown?’
The workers have been on a protest for nearly a month, suspending all duties except emergency services. They warned of intensifying their agitation if their demands are not met. “Police have been circling outside our homes since yesterday to prevent us from organising and joining the march. Many workers were pulled out of buses and stopped from boarding trains. The Health Secretary himself gave us today’s date for a meeting, so why this crackdown?” Krishna Pradhan, State President of the West Bengal ASHA Workers’ Union told The Hindu.
Ms. Pradhan, who is from Purba Medinipur, claimed that at least 300 workers were detained during the protests. As the march moved through central Kolkata, traffic came to a standstill. Police blocked protesters at several points, leading to scuffles. While one group staged a sit-in near Swastha Bhawan (the State Health Department headquarters), another marched from Sealdah station to Esplanade. Similar protests were reported from several districts, and many workers attempted to reach Kolkata via Howrah and Sealdah stations despite police blockades.
“We are here with reasonable demands and were promised a meeting. Why are we being stopped with barricades and force?” said one protesting worker. Later, a five-member delegation of ASHA workers met Health Department officials. Heavy police deployment continued across the city.
Doctors and nurses expressed solidarity with the ASHA workers, while Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari criticised the police action. “This is a barbaric government and weak police. The way they crack down on these women can’t be supported,” Mr. Adhikari said. According to Union Health Ministry data, West Bengal had 70,468 ASHA workers as of September 2024.
