For decades, ASHA workers toiled silently in front of the Secretariat, but by the 51st day, their protest site had transformed into a loud cry born from their silence. What initially seemed like a political struggle by women demanding their basic rights gradually evolved into a gateway exposing the ruling majority’s apathy and communal agendas.

INTUC President R. Chandrasekharan kept his distance from the protest in the early stages. Even when national leaders, including AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, visited the ASHA workers and expressed solidarity, Chandrasekharan’s silence stirred internal friction both within the party and the INTUC.

Last Friday, the swift resolution of the Anganwadi workers’ strike, followed by Venugopal’s arrival at the ASHA protest venue, and his sharp criticism of Chandrasekharan sparked considerable excitement. The fact that Chandrasekharan went to the protest site without even being scheduled to speak is seen by political observers as a move forced by pressure from Congress leadership at the Centre, rather than genuine support—especially since the state government is run by the Left.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Veena George’s announcement that she was "willing to talk to everyone" was not taken as a serious step toward resolving the protest. More importantly, the protest committee still asserts that the government has taken no favorable stance on any of the ASHA workers’ key demands.

Behind this prolonged struggle lie its political undercurrents. The state government’s rejection—twice—of prosecution sanction against INTUC President Chandrasekharan in a corruption case is seen by some as evidence of government protection, possibly in exchange for his tacit support of the Left. This is being viewed as his "debt" to that support.

Now, with INTUC officially declaring its support, the protest has gained new energy. Still, questions linger: Is this a strategic maneuver or a sincere show of solidarity? ASHA workers and their supporters now wait to see whether this dramatically declared support is genuine and whether the protest will ultimately achieve its goals.