Over four lakh employees, lakhs of pensioners observe strike over pending DA dues
Chandigarh: Protests were witnessed at the Punjab Secretariat after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann cancelled a meeting with representatives of various employee unions scheduled to be held in Jalandhar.
According to Kashmir Media Service, over four lakh government employees and lakhs of pensioners observed a “Maha Hartal” to pressure the AAP government to clear their long-pending dearness allowance (DA) dues.
Manjeet Singh and Alka Chopra, both representatives of the employees’ union in the Punjab Civil Secretariat, said talks were underway with government representatives who were visiting Jalandhar to meet CM Mann at PAP Jalandhar.
“We are planning to go on an indefinite strike if the government does not initiate talks and settle the grievances,” the employee union said. The Chief Minister, in a social media post on X, said the protesting employees are part of the family but talks and protest cannot go together.
In the post, Mann said the government is duty-bound to address all the issues of the protesting employees. However, talks will take place only after the employees end their protest.
