Chandigarh: Government functioning across Punjab has been hit by a statewide mass strike on Thursday, with more than three lakh employees and over four lakh pensioners joining the protest over a range of pending demands.
Under the banner of the Sanjha Mulazim Manch Punjab, employees have taken mass leave and decided to remain away from their duties for the entire day. Government offices, educational institutions and outpatient departments (OPDs) at government hospitals and dispensaries are expected to remain closed or severely affected.
The protest is being observed despite a scheduled meeting between employee representatives and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Jalandhar at 1 pm. Union leaders have said that the strike will continue even as the discussions take place.
Government Transport Largely Kept Out of Strike
Government bus drivers and conductors had initially been expected to participate in the agitation. However, following a meeting with Finance Minister on Wednesday, they decided not to join the strike, citing the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
The decision means government bus services are expected to continue.
Drivers assigned to official vehicles of government officers, however, are participating in the strike. As a result, several officials may face difficulties travelling to their respective offices and field locations.
No Road Blockades, Markets to Stay Open
The employees’ forum has stressed that the protest is not intended to disrupt public movement.
Harnek Singh, convener of the Sanjha Mulazim Manch Punjab, said there would be no ‘chakka jam’ or road blockade. Shops, markets and private establishments have not been asked to close and are expected to function normally.
Government employees, however, will remain on mass leave and will not attend their regular duties.
Singh also appealed to residents not to visit government offices for routine work during the strike, as most participating employees will not be available.
SIR Staff Also Observing Strike
Employees assigned to Special Summary Revision (SIR) duties have also joined the mass leave programme.
According to Singh, the employees’ organisation has informed the Election Commission about the decision. He urged senior officials not to force employees participating in the strike to report for work.
Treasury Operations Affected
Treasury employees are also participating in the protest, potentially affecting routine financial and administrative work.
The employees’ forum has asked officials not to put pressure on treasury staff to process work online during the strike.
Effigies of Government to Be Burnt
District-level demonstrations have also been planned as part of the agitation.
Sunil Kumar, chief adviser to the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union, said employees would burn effigies of the Punjab government at the district level. He described the action as a formal escalation of the employees’ protest over unresolved demands.
DA Issue Not Behind Today’s Strike
Harnek Singh said the employees have already secured a favourable court decision concerning Dearness Allowance (DA).
He maintained that the government cannot indefinitely withhold the allowance and said employees would pursue its implementation. However, he clarified that the present strike is primarily aimed at pressing for their other pending demands.
200-250 Employee Bodies Back Protest
The scale of the strike has increased with the participation of a large number of employee organisations.
Singh claimed that around 200 to 250 employee associations and unions, including groups that had previously operated independently, are now part of the joint movement.
The participation of these organisations has given the agitation a wider base across different government departments.
CM Meeting at 1 PM
The major focus today will be the scheduled meeting between representatives of the employees’ organisations and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Jalandhar.
Union leaders have maintained that the meeting will not lead to a suspension of the day’s protest. The strike is expected to continue while discussions take place.
For the public, the impact is likely to be most visible in government offices, schools, hospitals, dispensaries and treasury-related services, while private businesses, markets and general road movement are expected to remain unaffected.
