Hoshiarpur: The Mid-day Meal Workers Union had issued an ultimatum to the Punjab government, threatening to stop cooking meals in schools starting July 1st in protest against the continued neglect of their demands. As part of this agitation, workers in Mahilpur—led by Kamaljit Kharaudi, Manjit Kaur, Balwinder Kaur, and Amarvir Kaur—held a protest rally at the local vegetable market, drawing a large turnout.
The leaders stated that the Punjab government has failed to honor demands previously agreed upon in meetings—specifically, a minimum monthly salary of ?18,000, accident and health insurance, seasonal uniforms, regularization of employment, and the provision of gratuity and pension after the age of 60. This failure reflects the government's apathy toward mid-day meal workers.
Shakuntala, Rajni, Surinder Kaur, and federation leaders Makhan Singh Langeri and Malkit Singh Bahowala remarked that while the Punjab government loudly promotes schemes honoring mothers and daughters, it simultaneously denies a living wage to the mid-day meal workers who cook meals in scorching heat.
On this occasion, the workers marched to the main intersection in Mahilpur, blocked traffic, and raised slogans against the government. The union declared that if the meeting scheduled with the government for July 3rd fails to yield a meaningful solution, they will launch an intensified struggle.
A large number of workers were present at the event, including Sandhya, Santosh Rani, Lakhwinder Kaur, Gurmeet Kaur, Kanta, Resham Kaur, Charanjit Kaur, Pooja, Pushpa, Simran, Gurbakhsh Kaur, Rekha Rani, Jaswinder, Asha, Sukhwinder, Jasveer, Kulveer Kaur, Jamna Rani, Balveer Kaur, Pardeep Kaur, and Baksho.