Nawanshahr 30 July:- On the call of Safai Sewak Union Punjab, today the bandh in Nawanshahr got overwhelming response. All markets in Nawanshahr remained completely closed. Auto Union (IFTU) and Rehri Workers Union (IFTU) also kept their businesses closed in support of sanitation workers and participated in the protest. Before this, a gathering was held at Committee Bazaar Mandir which was addressed by District President of Municipal Employees Union Sunny Baghania, Suraj Kumar Khosla, Deepak Khosla, State President of IFTU Kulwinder Singh Waraich, State Press Secretary of IFTU Jasbir Deep, District Secretary of IFTU Parveen Kumar Nirala, leader of Vyapar Mandal Mahinderpal Singh Khalsa, Congress leader Raj Kumar Sabharwal, District President of BJP Rajwinder Lucky, Chet Ram Ratan, leader of Shiromani Akali Dal Dr. Gurpreet Kaur Thiara, Sukhwinder Singh Thandi, District President of Auto Union Puneet Kaler, Kamaljit Sanawa of Pendu Mazdoor Union, Kiranpreet Kaur, President of Rehri Workers Union Hare Ram, Hari Lal, leader of Punjab Students Union Baljit Singh Dharamkot.
The speakers said that for quite some time, sanitation workers of Punjab have been continuously struggling and are on strike to regularize their employment and to get the old pension scheme restored, due to which sanitation work was not being done in the cities. In Barnala, when police officers tried to forcibly lift garbage, when they were stopped, police officers used excessive force on sanitation workers and seriously injured women.
The leaders said their struggle will continue till the demands of regularizing sanitation workers, restoring the old pension scheme, making the salary at least 40 thousand and registering a case under SC ST Act against DSP Satbir Bains and SSO Lakhwinder Singh are met.