Sri Muktsar Sahib, August 17: — The Punjab State Ministerial Services Union has been continuously campaigning for the fulfilment of its legitimate demands, including the release of pending instalments of Dearness Allowance (DA), restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, regularisation of contractual employees, filling of vacant posts, and withdrawal of anti-employee orders.
As part of the ongoing agitation, ministerial employees in all government offices across Sri Muktsar Sahib district observed a complete pen-down/computer shutdown strike today to register their protest.
Giving details, Punjab State Ministerial Employees Union District President Khushkaran Singh, General Secretary Pushpinder Singh, and DC Office Employees Union District President Harjinder Singh Sidhu said that the state body had given the government an ultimatum till August 15 to implement the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding Dearness Allowance and immediately release the pending DA arrears of employees. They said that the union had announced that if the government failed to do so, ministerial employees across Punjab would observe a pen-down strike on August 17 and 18.
However, they expressed disappointment that the government had not taken any of the employees’ legitimate demands seriously. In protest against this, the pen-down strike is being observed on August 17 and 18.
The union leaders said that for the past four and a half years, the government had merely been making assurances to government employees, while none of their demands had been implemented at the ground level. They cited the non-release of pending DA instalments despite the High Court’s decision as an example.
They alleged that, on the one hand, the government was distributing freebies and putting up large advertisements, while on the other hand, it was avoiding giving employees their legitimate rights.
The leaders said that the employees’ community had now awakened and that the agitation would be intensified in the coming days. They warned that if the government still failed to take action, it would have to face the consequences in the upcoming elections.
Due to the pen-down strike, work remained completely suspended in various government offices across the district, including the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Sub-Divisional Magistrate offices, Tehsil offices, Sub-Tehsils, Water Supply Department, Roadways Department, Forest Department, Irrigation Department, Education Department, Health Department, Horticulture Department, Agriculture Department, Welfare Department, Social Security Department, and Excise and Taxation Department, among others.
The leaders further said that the state body of the organisation would chalk out the next phase of the agitation on August 18. In addition, ministerial employees would participate in the complete pen-down strike during the statewide bandh on August 27, announced by the Joint Employees’ Forum and Joint Action Coordination Committee.
A large number of ministerial employees were present on the occasion.