Himachal: Cops' kin resume online campaign for pay hike

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, December 17

Relatives and well-wishers of constables have once again flooded social media, with appeals to the DGP to do justice by accepting their demand. There was earlier a lull in the campaign following an assurance by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to consider the demand of constables of 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019 batches for a higher pay scale and pay band.

Now, identical messages have been posted under the banner #justiceforHPpolice by several persons on Facebook and mailbox, supporting the demand and pleading the case of constables.

Extension of period for higher scales resented

• Constables are feeling aggrieved by the decision of the government to extend the period for the grant of Rs10,300+Rs3,200 pay scale from two to eight years.
• They are demanding reduction in the period of service regularisation from eight to two years.
• Around 5,700 constables are hit by these decisions.

Letters have been addressed to the DGP, expressing unhappiness: “On the one hand, the Chief Minister gave assurance that efforts would be made to remove anomalies in pay scales, on the other, orders were issued asking police constables to maintain discipline and refrain from posting anything on social media regarding their demands”.

“Parents, spouses and children of constables even went to Bilaspur to meet BJP president JP Nadda but FIRs were registered to silence our voice,” the messages stated, questioning what was wrong if constables were seeking higher pay scales.

The constables are feeling aggrieved by the decision of the government to extend the period for the grant of Rs 10,300+Rs 3,200 pay scale from two to eight years. They are demanding reduction in the period of service regularisation from eight to two years. About 5,700 constables are affected by these decisions.

“Why a step-motherly treatment is being meted out to constables, who work round-the-clock for the safety of people”, the messages say pointing out that the DGP had set up a committee to look onto the matter but nothing had come out of it.

“We request you to submit the report to the government and do whatever is possible to help the constables get their demands accepted,” they urged.

The messages also pointed out that there is a vast difference in the pay scales, ration money and other facilities for the HP Police, as compared to the police of other states, but the employees could not agitate or raise their demands.