Former Union Minister Chinta Mohan on Saturday announced that the Congress would launch a ‘Satyagraha’ in Tirupati next week, demanding a minimum wage of ₹20,000 a month for about one lakh contract and outsourced employees working in three SEZs, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), SVRR hospital, seven universities, and other Central institutions in Tirupati district.
Addressing a presser here, he said paltry wages and non-payment of salaries for several months had a debilitating effect on the lives of the poor and downtrodden workers. He said several workers were forced to take loans at high interest rates to run their families.
The Congress leader criticised the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government for “ruthlessly” stopping scholarships to lakhs of students belonging to SC, ST, OBC and minority communities over the past four years.
Thousands of students pursuing higher education were dropping out in the absence of scholarships. When student scholarships were being provided across India, A.P. government stalled them, he said, demanding that the State government immediately sanction the entire scholarship amount pending for years.
Replying to a question, Chinta Mohan said voters belonging to the Scheduled Castes would decide the fate of the 2024 general election. “Dalits and minorities remain distanced from the BJP-led NDA alliance,” he said.
The former Minister faulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ignoring the death of Arun Manilal Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, a couple of days ago. “Neither the Central government nor the Maharashtra government paid tributes to Mahatma’s grandson,” Dr. Mohan said. Earlier in the day, Chinta Mohan, along with Congress cadre, paid floral tributes to the portrait of Mr. Arun Gandhi.
