Novel protest by contract staff of Punjab

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26

Contract employees of Punjab today went in for a unique protest over the delay in their regularisation.

The employees took a basket of turnips to the Chief Minister’s residence today to show symbolism with an old Punjabi saying of “gongluan ton mitti chardhaan”, which means a person is just whiling away time and not doing any productive work.

The basket of “gonglu” (turnips) was handed over to the OSD to the Chief Minister. The employees alleged though the Channi government brought in a Bill to regularise the services of 36,000 employees, the Act was neither ready nor notified. “We fear the Channi government, like the previous Capt Amarinder regime, is just buying time and is unwilling to do anything on the ground. That is why we are protesting against him,” said Ashish Julaha, leader of the Contractual Employees’ Action Committee, an umbrella body of all unions of contractual workers. Meanwhile, officers in the state Personnel Department told The Tribune the Act was finally ready and had been received today from the state’s Legal Department. “We are trying to expedite the process,” said a senior officer.