Haryana employees to hold agitation on Monday

CHANDIGARH: Swords have been drawn between the Haryana government as well as its employees, with the latter all set to hold ‘Maha Gherao’ of the state assembly to register their protest against the government on Monday.
This comes at the time when the state government till Saturday night had arrested 164 employees of the transport department and nearly 250 auxilliary midwifery nursing (ANM) staffers for organizing protests.

The Monday’s protests will be held under the aegis of Sarv Karamchari Sangh, an umbrella body of 112 unions of the government employees of various departments. Thousands of employees are expected to reach Panchkula’s Yavnika Park and therefrom move towards Chandigarh.

SKS president Subhash Lamba accused the government of using police for demoralizing employees as well as the protests. “We shall not give up. The government will have to take back the suspended employees and to get those arrested released on bail. This comes along with our other demands as well,’’ said Lamba.

Haryana DGP B S Sandhu claimed elaborate arrangements had been made to ensure that law and order situation remained under control and the traffic movement on busy roads was not disrupted.

“We have given back up support to the Chandigarh Police as well. At the same time, additional deployment has been made for Panchkula. We shall ensure that the protests are peaceful and normal life is not disrupted,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, health minister Anil Vij justified the action against transport department as well as health department’s employees. “Their strike is totally unjustified. The ANM’s demands have been accepted. The CM has assured everything and their files are lying with the finance department for approval of funds. How can they blame us? Similar is the case of Roadways staffers. Both these services are directly linked to general public,’’ said Vij.