Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Normal government functioning across Punjab has been disrupted on Thursday as lakhs of employees observe a one-day strike to press the state government on their pending demands. More than three lakh government employees and over four lakh pensioners are participating in the agitation, according to the employees’ forum.
The protest has been organised under the banner of the Sanjha Mulazim Manch Punjab, with employees across various departments staying away from their duties.
Government offices, educational institutions and outpatient departments at government hospitals and dispensaries are among the services affected by the strike.
The agitation is continuing even though a meeting between employee representatives and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been scheduled in Jalandhar at 1 pm.
Government Bus Services Not Part of Strike
Government bus drivers and conductors were initially expected to join the protest. However, after discussions with the Finance Minister on Wednesday, they decided to stay away from the strike, citing the Raksha Bandhan festival.
Government bus operations are therefore expected to continue.
The situation is different for drivers assigned to government officers. These drivers have joined the strike, which could affect the movement of officials to their offices and official engagements.
No ‘Chakka Jam’ Planned
The employees’ organisation has made it clear that the protest will not involve road blockades.
Harnek Singh, convener of the Sanjha Mulazim Manch Punjab, said there would be no attempt to stop traffic or interfere with public movement. Markets, shops and private establishments have also not been asked to shut.
The strike is focused on government employees remaining absent from their duties.
Singh has advised residents to avoid visiting government offices for routine work today because employees participating in the agitation will not be available.
SIR Officials Asked Not to Force Employees to Work
The union has also informed the Election Commission that employees assigned to Special Summary Revision (SIR) duties are participating in the mass leave.
Singh said the concerned staff should not be compelled to work during the strike.
Treasury employees are also observing the protest. The union has requested government officials not to pressure treasury staff into handling official work, including online transactions, during the agitation.
District-Level Demonstrations Planned
The protest is not limited to employees staying away from work.
Sunil Kumar, chief adviser to the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, said demonstrations would be held at the district level, where employees would burn effigies of the state government.
The unions have accused the government of failing to resolve their outstanding issues and said the latest strike is intended to intensify pressure for action.
Employees Confident About DA
The Dearness Allowance issue has also featured in the employees’ campaign, although union leaders insist it is not the sole reason for the current strike.
Harnek Singh said employees had already obtained a favourable court verdict on DA and expressed confidence that the allowance would ultimately be secured.
He said the current agitation is primarily aimed at getting the government to address the wider list of demands raised by employees.
Broad Support From Employee Organisations
The joint movement has received backing from a large number of unions and associations.
Singh claimed that between 200 and 250 employee organisations have come together under the common platform. Several groups that previously conducted their activities independently have also joined the collective protest.
The broad participation has resulted in disruption across multiple departments on Thursday.
CM-Employees Meeting Closely Watched
The scheduled meeting between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and representatives of the employees’ front at 1 pm is being closely watched.
The unions have made it clear that their strike will continue while the meeting takes place. The outcome of the discussions could determine whether the employees’ agitation is scaled down or further intensified in the coming days.
For now, Punjab is witnessing a major disruption in government-run services, while markets, private establishments and normal public movement remain outside the scope of the strike.
