Patiala, August 1:- Retired Employees Union, Municipal Corporation Patiala protested near the old bus stand in support of their legitimate demands and the alleged police lathicharge on sanitation workers in Barnala, raised slogans against the Punjab government and burned an effigy of the Chief Minister.
Addressing the protest, the union leaders alleged that the police lathicharged sanitation workers who were peacefully protesting in Barnala for their legitimate demands, during which many employees were injured. They said that peaceful protest is the constitutional right of every citizen and such action is against democratic values.
Union President Mahinder Singh Badungar, General Secretary Joginder Singh Panchi and Chairman Gurbaksh Singh said in a joint statement that the Punjab government's intention towards the employees is not clear. They alleged that employees and pensioners are having to knock on the doors of the courts for their rights.
The leaders said that in other states of the country, employees are being given 60 percent dearness allowance (DA), while in Punjab only 42 percent DA is being given. They also demanded that the shortcomings of the Sixth Pay Commission be rectified soon, the pending salary gap and dearness allowance be paid in full. They said that due to the government's policies, the employees are having to bear additional financial and legal burden for their rights.
Union leader Joginder Singh Panchi warned that if the government does not accept the legitimate demands of the employees soon and does not pay the pending dearness allowance, the employee class will give a befitting reply in the upcoming 2027 assembly elections.
On this occasion, Ajaib Singh, Pushpinder Kumar Pathak, Sukhwinder Singh Dicky, Harchand Singh, Karam Singh, Sham Lal, Surinder Kumar, Chand Singh, Sultan Singh, Teja Singh, BMS representatives and a large number of retired employees were present