Written by Aiswarya Raj
Kanti, who had been working as an anganwadi helper for 30 years at the time, said: “The order came on WhatsApp on March 14, dated the previous day. I could not comprehend the reason. It was my right to protest, and it cannot be the grounds on which they fire us.”
A single mother, she lives with one of her two sons at Shankar Marg in Fazalpur, who ekes out a living by selling toys. “My husband died two months ago. I have not been able to get another job,” she said. Showing her near-empty wallet, she said, “Look how big my purse is, but it does not have anything.”
After the matter reached Delhi High Court in March, the Delhi government assured the bench that it would not terminate any more anganwadi workers or helpers in connection with the strike.
When asked if the government would consider taking back the terminated persons, its lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, said that the government would try to take a compassionate view but the petitioners “should not put a gun on my head”.
