Cops scuttle employees’ march to Vidhan Sabha

Tribune News Service

Mohali, December 13

Around 400 government employees belonging to various departments staged a protest under the banner of Sanjha Mulazam Manch, Punjab and UT, near YPS Chowk on the Mohali-Chandigarh border here.

The protesters, wearing black outfits and carrying black flags, started gathering near the venue early in the morning. In the afternoon, they started their protest march towards the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Chandigarh. The police stopped their march on the Mohali-Chandigarh border following which the agitators sat on a dharna on the road leading to Chandigarh.

Raising slogans against the state government, the protesters demanded the implementation of 6th Pay Panel recommendations, clearance of DA arrears, regularisation of contractual/outsourced staff and pension benefits for employees.

The protest continued for over a couple of hours. Ankit Bansal, OSD to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh received a memorandum from the protesters. Following the assurance regarding the acceptance of their demands, the dharna was lifted.

Earlier, due to the protest, the road leading to Chandigarh remained blocked for over four hours, resulting in chaos. A traffic jam was witnessed in Phase VII.