Chandigarh: Contractual employees of PRTC and PUNBUS staged a protest against the Punjab government in Bathinda on Tuesday, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of failing to fulfil its promises to regularise temporary workers.
The protesting employees raised slogans against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government, alleging that it was relying on posters and publicity campaigns to claim that contractual employees were being regularised, while no concrete action was being taken on the ground.
Addressing the protesters, PRTC-PUNBUS employees’ union president Sarabjit Singh Bhullar accused the government of repeatedly delaying a resolution to their demands despite holding meetings with employee representatives.
PRTC, PUNBUS Employees Announce Strike On November 16, 17 And 18
Bhullar said Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema had held several meetings with employees but had only offered assurances without addressing their concerns.
He alleged that the government’s actions were contrary to the commitments made to the employees. He added that unions had organised strikes and transport shutdowns several times in the past, but their demands remained unresolved.
Announcing the next phase of the protest, Bhullar said employees would go on strike on November 16, 17 and 18.
He warned that if the government failed to resolve their demands, the unions could announce a gherao of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s residence and the residence of the Transport Minister.
Employees Threaten Campaign Against AAP Government
Bhullar further said that with the next Assembly elections approaching, employees would take their campaign to villages across Punjab if their demands continued to be ignored.
He said the unions would inform people about what he described as the AAP government’s false promises and policies. He also appealed to voters not to support a government that, according to him, had failed to honour its commitments.
The unions have indicated that further protest action could follow if the government does not address their demands.
