Joint Front sounds the bugle of struggle against the Bhagwant Mann government’s anti-employee and anti-pensioner policies; Protest rallies to be held outside the residences of ‘AAP’ MLAs and the Speaker;
-Earthen pots to be smashed; a pledge taken to completely boycott the Aam Aadmi Party in upcoming elections; Punjab Employees and Pensioners Joint Front holds a massive district-level convention in Faridkot…
Faridkot, June 20 (Alexander D’Souza): The ‘Punjab Employees and Pensioners Joint Front’ has announced an intensified struggle against the adamant attitude of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government regarding the long-pending and legitimate demands of the state’s lakhs of employees and pensioners. As part of this action plan, a massive district-level convention was organized today at the local Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Senior Secondary School in Faridkot, where hundreds of employees and pensioners participated to raise their voices against the government. Senior leaders from various organizations were part of the convention’s presidium, notably Prem Chawla, Jatinder Kumar, Inderjit Singh Kheeva, Navpreet Singh, Balkar Singh Sahota, Inderjit Singh Gill, Kulwant Singh Chani, Kulwinder Singh Maur, Simarjit Singh Brar, Gurpreet Singh Randhawa, Jagtar Singh Gill, Veer Inderjit Singh Puri, Jaspal Singh (Police Inspector), Sarabjit Singh (Electricity Board), and Principal Krishan Lal. ‘AAP’ government more adamant than previous governments: Spokespersons. Addressing the convention, various speakers launched scathing political attacks on the Bhagwant Mann government. The spokespersons alleged that this government has proven to be far more adamant and insensitive than all previous governments when it comes to resolving the demands of employees and pensioners. They warned that the future would never forgive the Aam Aadmi Party for this apathy. Key demands of employees and pensioners: The Joint Front reiterated its primary demands to the government, as follows:
Panel Meeting: The Chief Minister should immediately schedule an official panel meeting with the Joint Front leadership to resolve these pressing issues.
DA Arrears: Six pending installments of Dearness Allowance (DA), totaling 18%, should be released immediately.
Pensioners’ Rights: The 2.59 coefficient for pensioners should be implemented immediately.
Restoration of OPS: The Old Pension Scheme (OPS) should be fully restored without delay.
Regularization of Contractual Staff: All temporary and contractual employees should be regularized with full salary and allowances.
Rights for Honorarium-based Workers: ASHA workers, mid-day meal workers, Anganwadi workers, and helpers should be granted government employee status and full salaries.
Court Verdicts: Court rulings favoring employees should be universalized and implemented immediately. Announcement of Gherao (Siege) of MLAs’ and Speaker’s Residences: Amidst thunderous slogans at the convention, it was announced that ‘Matka-phod’ (pot-smashing) protests and rallies would be held outside the homes of Aam Aadmi Party MLAs to wake up the slumbering government. Full schedule of protests:
July 11: Massive protest rally outside the residence of ‘AAP’ MLA Gurdit Singh Sekhon in Faridkot.
August 9: Vigorous protest outside the residence of Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan in Sandhwan village.
August 20: Gherao and protest outside the residence of Amolak Singh, MLA from the Jaito constituency.
Pledge to Oust ‘AAP’ from Power: In the final phase of the convention, senior pensioner leader Inderjit Singh Kheeva administered a collective oath to all the employees and pensioners present, asking them to raise their hands. They resolved that the employee and pensioner community would not vote for the Aam Aadmi Party in the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections and would teach this arrogant government a lesson by ousting it from power in Punjab. Key leaders present at the convention included:
A large number of union office-bearers and activists attended this massive convention, including Som Nath Arora, Manohar Singh Dhunna, Ajit Singh Khalsa, Surat Singh Mahla, Bikram Singh Dhillon (Chief Ministerial Staff, Health Department), Ami Chand (Municipal Council), Bishan Kumar Arora, Pradeep Singh Brar, Principal Gurdeep Kaur, Engineer Jeet Singh, Upinder Singh, Raj Dhaliwal, Amarjit Singh Walia, Iqbal Singh (Punjab Police), Surjit Singh, Harinder Singh, Inderjit Singh, Kulwant Singh Johal, Hakam Singh (Punjab Police), Ramesh Kaushal, Paramjit Singh Pamma, Sukhmander Singh Sandhwan, Madan Lal (Lecturer), Malkit Singh Bhana, Sukhdarshan Singh Gill, and Gurinder Singh Mani.
News: 20-2,
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