Punjab CM Charanjit Channi threatens 'dharna' against Governor Banwarilal Purohit over delay in clearing file

Chandigarh, January 1

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday threatened to stage a ‘dharna’ against Governor Banwarilal Purohit for withholding his assent to a Bill for regularising 36,000 contractual employees.

Channi also accused Purohit of dithering on approving the Bill under pressure from the BJP.

The Punjab Assembly had passed ‘the Punjab Protection and Regularization of Contractual Employees Bill-2021’ last November.

This Bill was aimed at regularising 36,000 employees working on contract or on adhoc, temporary or daily basis in different government departments.

Addressing the media here for giving the 100-day report card of his regime, Channi said his government had framed the law for the regularisation of 36,000 contractual employees.

“But the Governor has stopped the file (relating to the Bill) because of some political reasons,” alleged Channi.

The CM said he along with ministers had already met the Governor on the issue, while the Chief Secretary had also met the Governor twice.

Channi said he, along with ministers, will meet the Governor again on Monday.

“If he does not do it (clear the file), then it is politics. If we have to stage a ‘dharna’, we will do it but we have to regularise employees. A law has been framed,” he said.

“It is his (Governor) responsibility to clear the file. Earlier, I thought he was busy somewhere. But as I have already met him and the CS visited him, it is now politics. Because there is pressure from the BJP, he should not do politics,” Channi said. 

Ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls, the Channi Government has been facing the wrath of his political rivals for not being able to fulfil his promise of regularization of contractual employees. PTI