Railway staffers go on hunger strike against New Pension Scheme

Chandigarh, January 8

The Chandigarh-Kalka-Shimla branch of the Uttariya Railway Mazdoor Union (URMU) organised a hunger strike at the Chandigarh Railway Station today to oppose the New Pension Scheme (NPS). The strike was called on the directions of the URMU general secretary, BC Sharma, and will continue till January 12.

The URMU Ambala division president, Ashok Kumar, branch president Satpal Singh, division media secretary Sandeep Kumar, and other officials were present on the strike’s first day.

The protesters demanded that the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) should be reinstated. They also demanded the constitution of the 8th Pay Commission Committee, adding that those who will get the OPS back, will get the votes.

One of the protesters said, “The protest will continue for two days in Chandigarh, followed by two days in Kalka, while it has been organised at all railway stations of the Ambala division simultaneously. On January 12, we will conduct a headquarter-level protest in Delhi.”

Fatehgarh Sahib: On the call of the All India Railwaymen’s Federation and the Old Pension Yojana Restoration Joint Front (JFROPS) in New Delhi, the Northern Railwaymen’s Union, Sirhind, began a four-day hunger strike at the Sirhind Railway Station today. The employees were led by the Sirhind branch president Sanjeev Verma and secretary Jagdeep Singh Kahlon. Addressing mediapersons, Kahlon said that this hunger strike will be held from January 8 to 11 from 9 am to 5 pm.