Staff protest in front of Himachal Assembly, Cart Road choked

Bhanu P Lohumi

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Shimla, March 3

Vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt and the Cart Road was choked as thousands of employees demanding the revival of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) marched to hold a protest in front of the Vidhan Sabha. However, the police intercepted them near tunnel No. 103.

Turn down govt offer to send team for talks

• Protesting staff turned down the government offer to send a 15-member delegation for talks.
• Slogans like ‘cheen ke lenge, lad ke leenge OPS’ rented the air .
• Police forcefully removed the protesting employees around 10 pm.

The police blocked the road by parking vehicles and buses and used water cannons to disperse the employees. However, the employees breached the barricades and managed to hold a protest in front of the Vidhan Sabha. Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, who is also the Shimla (Urban) MLA, tried to talk to the protesters but the latter did not relent and shouted ‘go back’.

The employees under the banner of the New Pension Employees Federation assembled near the Tutikandi bypass and marched raising slogans demanding the restoration of the OPS. They accused the government of resorting to repressive measures to crush the agitation. About 8,000 to 10,000 employees participated in the protest.

Pradeep Thakur, president of the New Pension Scheme Employees Federation Himachal, dubbed the government order banning rallies and protests as a brazen attack on their democratic rights. He said that there was unprecedented enthusiasm among the employees to continue with their fight till their demand was accepted.

The Shimla bypass from Tutikandi to Khalini was choked and traffic moved at a snail’s pace. Vehicles were diverted through the route as the NPS beneficiaries had blocked the main highway. Jams were witnessed on link roads joining the main road and the bypass. Commuters, including schoolchildren, were stuck in a jam for hours.

Pradeep Thakur said that they would stay put till Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur himself addressed the agitating employees and clarified the stand on the OPS. However, the police forcefully removed the protesting employees around 10 pm. The protesters were dispersed, police sources said.

In view of the forthcoming Assembly elections, the government is under pressure to restore the OPS, as done in Rajasthan. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur had announced a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to look into the ssue but this had no impact on the agitating employees.