Employees, pensioners burn CM’s effigy over demands

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 11

Unhappy over the state government’s silence towards the demands of employees and pensioners, the Punjab Employees and Pensioners Joint Front visited the houses of Cabinet Ministers and AAP MLAs to mark a ‘black Diwali’.

In a protest outside the residence of Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO today, several employees brunt an effigy of the Punjab Chief Minister and called out the government over its anti-employee decisions. Leading the protest, district convener Gurdeep Singh Bajwa, said that the Punjab government was not serious at all towards the demands of the employees and pensioners. “In the meeting of the Punjab Cabinet on November 6, we had a lot of hope that the government would take some employee/pensioner-friendly decisions, but in this meeting, the government has given tax exemption to the business class under the lump sum settlement scheme and nothing for employees,” he said. The protesters, including teachers, said the state has yet to give 12 per cent pending DA to its employees. Gurdeep said that this was the first time that they were not getting dearness allowance on Diwali while the employees of neighbouring states and Chandigarh have received it.

“The pay commission report remains in cold storage, minimum wage law is not applicable to honorarium/incentive employees, despite announcement made last Diwali, the allowances stopped in the name of revision have now been frozen. The computer teachers are not getting wages at par with other government employees. There is no reason for us to celebrate this Diwali,” said Ashwani Awasthi, a

government teacher and member of the Democratic Teachers’ Front.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Diwali