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Chandigarh: Punjab is gearing up for the assembly elections, but a few months before the elections, there have been strikes in the state. At least a dozen unions of different types, including teachers, ASHA workers, Anganwadi Employees, nurses and bus workers are on the streets demanding regularization of services, employment or better wages.
The protesters are making a last-ditch effort to put pressure on the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government, which, despite being in “please-all” mode ahead of the elections, is finding it difficult to handle.
In the past two weeks, lathis and water cannons have been used against protesters at several places, flouting police crackdown on the government.
The opposition has gone to town with images The injured protesters accused the Channi government of apathy and cruelty.
As protesters picket near places where the chief minister or his ministers are visiting, they are almost always greeted with black flags and loud slogans.
On Thursday, Channi’s security unit tried to find a “solution” to the problem, but it hit his government even more. The head of the Special Security Unit ordered that wherever the Chief Minister has to attend any function or function, the organizers would hire DJs and play. Gurbani Shabad (Sikh religious music) To put an end to sloganeering.
However, the order was hastily withdrawn in the evening after being criticized not only by opposition leaders but also by Congress’ Sunil Jakhar. tweeted That it has made a mockery of democracy.
Instead, another order was issued, stating that wherever the Chief Minister would attend any function or function, the volume of loudspeakers at the venue would be reduced so that he could properly hear the problems of the public.
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issue is flying
Contract workers of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC are operational indefinite strike Government bus services have been affected in many places since Tuesday. They demand that their services should be regularised.
Others are contract employees even on the streets With this demand. They want the Channi government to notify its decision to regularize 36,000 contractual employees. Their protests have been going on for three weeks at different places.
Last month, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal had made common cause With the protesting Physical Training Instructors (PTI) demanding employment in Sohana. Teachers have been protesting over the water tank since August. Kejriwal later addressed other eligible teachers, who are demanding jobs, outside the Punjab School Education Board’s office in Mohali.
Apart from this, teachers of 184 colleges across the state are on strike As part of the ongoing ‘Sampoorna Shiksha Bandh’ since last one week. They are protesting against the non-implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
If that wasn’t enough, during his visit to Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar on Monday, Channi was congratulated With slogans and black flags of computer teachers protesting. These teachers want their services to be merged with the education department.
Police action against protesters
The intensification of protests has forced the police to act on several occasions.
Over 250 ‘COVID warriors’ (paramedics staff and nurses), who were hired through outsourcing by the government during the two COVID waves, were laid off in October. forcibly removed Last Friday, they had blocked the Chandigarh-Bathinda National Highway. They were demanding their jobs back and were sitting on a permanent dharna at Rajindra Hospital in Patiala since October 25.
last saturday jalandhar police lathi charge candidates Those who were protesting against the irregular recruitment process of Punjab Police. The candidates had gathered near the PAP (Punjab Armed Police) campus to hinder the next round of recruitments.
On the same day, Elementary Teacher Training (ETT)-qualified teachers were protesting lathi charge on In Mohali when he tried to proceed towards the Chief Minister’s residence in Kharar. For five months, teachers have been protesting demanding employment.
ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) Activist affected work Demanded increase in wages in compliance with the Minimum Wages Act for two days last week.
Last month, protest Anganwadi workers tried siege Chief Minister’s residence in Kharar. He demanded to return the pre-primary students Anganwadi from government schools and to fill vacancies.
(Edited by Arun Prashant)
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