Overview
- In an open letter, ASHA workers under KAHWA asked Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Kamal Haasan to skip the November 1 function in Thiruvananthapuram where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is slated to announce Kerala as “extreme poverty-free.”
- The workers argue they remain among the poorest, citing daily earnings of about ₹233 with at least ₹100 spent on job-related costs that leave families struggling for basics.
- KAHWA members have staged an indefinite sit-in outside the Secretariat since February 2025 seeking higher honoraria and retirement benefits, reporting rough nights on the pavement and police action during a march to the Chief Minister’s residence.
- Protesters highlight that at least 11 ASHAs died of COVID-19 while on duty, saying their sacrifices have not translated into economic security.
- The government says it raised the monthly honorarium to ₹7,000, set up a five-member committee on demands, and eased criteria for certain payments, as the LDF promotes poverty eradication as a flagship achievement in an election year.