Safai Sewak Union burns effigies of Barnala DSP, SHO in Jalandhar

The Punjab Safai Sewak Union and Pendu Mazdoor Union today protested against lathicharge on sanitation workers by the police in Barnala and burnt effigies of the Barnala DSP, SHO and the Chief Minister.

The sanitation workers and other employees of the Kartarpur Municipal Council went on an indefinite strike. They said the strike would continue until a case is registered against the Barnala DSP and SHO under the SC/ST Act and they are dismissed.

The protesters also pressed for other demands of the sanitation staff and other municipal workers. The Pendu Mazdoor Union announced support for sanitation workers.

The union leaders alleged the Bhagwant Mann-led government was converting Punjab into a police state. They further alleged that the police are being forced to silence people who are demanding their rights.

Under the leadership of the Punjab Safai Sewak Union, a strike has been going on at the municipal corporations, nagar panchayats and municipal councils across the state since July 8 to press for demands like regularisation of contractual workers, monthly wages of Rs 40,000 and restoration of the old pension scheme.

They added on one hand, the CM and other ministers do not get tired of shedding tears over lathicharge on students and youths at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, and on the other hand, the state government had allegedly converted Punjab into a police state. They said MGNREGA employees, safai sewaks, etc., who are demanding their rights were being met with force.

District leaders of the Safai Sewak Union, Vishwas Kumar Gill, Ashwani Kumar Sabharwal, besides state press secretary of Pendu Mazdoor Union Kashmir Singh Ghuggshore and the state leader of the youth wing of the union, Gurpreet Singh Cheeda addressed the gathering.