Kapurthala, July 27:- The call for the Punjab Bandh, given in protest against the police lathi-charge on sanitation workers in Barnala, is receiving continuous support. In line with this, Rupinder Kaur, the Sarpanch of village Baba Deep Singh Nagar, has extended her support to the Punjab Bandh while strongly condemning the police action against the sanitation workers.
Sarpanch Rupinder Kaur stated that sanitation workers are the backbone of society, who risk their lives every day to clean gutters, sewerage systems, and dirty drains, making a vital contribution to keeping homes, streets, and cities clean. She noted that entering and cleaning gutters where even standing nearby is difficult for an ordinary person is an extremely difficult and hazardous job.
She said that subjecting such workers to a lathi-charge and causing them physical and mental distress is highly reprehensible. The government should provide sanitation workers with permanent employment, better salaries, health security, and other necessary facilities. Furthermore, regular medical check-ups should be arranged for them, as working in contaminated water and sewage puts them at constant risk of skin and other serious diseases.
Sarpanch Rupinder Kaur warned that if sanitation workers stop working, heaps of garbage will accumulate in villages and cities, posing a grave threat to public health. Therefore, both society and the government must respect their hard work.
She stated that the Indian Constitution grants every citizen the right to peacefully express their views and protest. If any organization stages a peaceful sit-in against government policies, a lathi-charge against them cannot be justified under any circumstances. The police should also exercise restraint and resolve issues through dialogue.
In conclusion, Sarpanch Rupinder Kaur stated that she fully supports today’s Punjab Bandh and demanded that the government immediately accept the legitimate demands of the sanitation workers and deliver justice to them.