Palledars say promises not kept

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, February 22

Irked with the Congress for not fulfilling the promises that it had made to the palledars before the Assembly elections, members of the Punjab Pradesh Palledar Mazdoor Union (INTUC) today began their stir against the state government.

The protest, organised outside the District Administrative Complex, was headed by regional leader of the union, Tikka Singh.

The union members were also led by Shiv Lal from Bathinda, Gurvinder Singh from Bhucho Mandi, Jasbir Singh from Goniana, Gurdeep Singh from Rama Mandi and Baldev Singh from Maur Mandi.

After holding a protest outside the DAC, the protesters took out a march and blocked the road outside the DAC for some time.

Raising their voice against the state government, the leaders said on September 9, 2016, Captain Amarinder Singh had addressed the palledars at the grain market in Sangrur and promised that if the Congress came to power, the party would end the contract system on which the palledars were working for the food procurement agencies.

The added that they were also promised that all clauses under the Laboru Act 1970 would be implemented and the palledars would be extended all benefits and allowances as per the Act.

They said the party was close to completing one year in power but was yet to fulfil the promises.

They also derided the CM for not taking out time to meet them and listen to their demands even once during the year.

Tikka Singh said the union leaders had met Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal several times over their demands, but the meetings had remained inconclusive.

Elaborating on the demands of the union, Singh said the palledars wanted that the state government should bring an end to the contractual system and they be paid for their work directly and not through the food procurement agencies.

Stating that the government had already prepared the tender for the next procurement season, they demanded that the government should cancel the tender and the work be directly given to the palledars.

They threatened that in case their demands are not heeded, they would intensify their stir against the government, which would affect procurement.