Their demands stonewalled for a long time by the state government, Anganwadi workers in Uttar Pradesh have devised a new way to put pressure on the powers that be. Amid chanting of hymns and drum beating, an Aanganwadi worker from Sitapur symbolically "married" a picture of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The mock wedding, solemnised in the presence of fellow Aanganwadi workers in Sitapur late on Tuesday, saw a picture of the monk-turned-Chief Minister being garlanded by the coy bride.
Mahila Aanganbadi Karmachari Sangh's District President, Neetu Singh, who got "married" said that for them this was a novel way of attracting the attention of the state government.
"Through this marriage we thought around 400,000 sisters will be benefited," she said, while informing that the Chief Minister was coming to Sitapur on Friday and that she plans to go to Lucknow with him.
If our demands are still not met, I will go to meet Yogiji on a horse, she said.
The woman who put a picture of Adityanath on her face and acted as the groom said she was happy to be part of the "novel nuptial".
The Anganwadi workers had given a four-month ultimatum to the new Bharatiya Janata Party government to address the issues raised by them but rue that even after the passage of eight months, the state government has done nothing for them.
In fact, an Anganwadi leader said that they were cane-charged brutally in the state capital once when then went to protest.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
)