DA news: Employees criticise transfer of key leader, BJP and Congress attack Punjab CM, govt may move SC—See top updates

The Punjab government, on 31 August, transferred Sukhchain Singh Khera, a key member of the state employees' protest, from the Punjab Civil Secretariat's administrative branch to the planning branch in Chandigarh's Sector 33, PTI reported.

The move comes after more than 3 lakh state employees participated in a mass leave on 27 August to push for immediate clearance of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) and other demands, in a strike that affected public services. Khera is a prominent leader of the Punjab Sanjha Mulazam Manch, which spearheaded the state-wide, one-day mass leave protest last week, the report added.

Key demands: why the timing of protests is significant

Key demands include — payment of pending 18% DA, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), regularisation of contractual employees, implementation of minimum wages for workers, including mid-day meal, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, restoration of the ACP scheme, and extension of Punjab pay scales to employees recruited after 17 July 2020.

More than 150 employees presented a united front as the Manch, and over 3.50 lakh pensioners participated in the “maha hartal”. This was among the largest mobilisations yet against the ruling government and raised concerns, as the state assembly polls are due early next year.

Punjab employees protest: Check latest updates here

Here's a look at all the latest updates amid several developments in the state related to the matter:

• Sahil Sharma, leader of the Punjab Civil Secretariat Employees Union, in a statement, condemned Khera's transfer and criticised the state government for allegedly trying to “suppress the voice of employees”.
• Also, in response to last week's strike, the state government, on 29 August, directed heads of departments and administrative secretaries to issue show-cause notices to employees for “unauthorised” absence on the date of the protest. It also requested that disciplinary action be taken in accordance with the rules.

• On 30 August (Sunday), the Manch decided that if the notices issued to them are not withdrawn, another similar statewide mass leave strike will be called on 8 September, the PTI report said.
• Announcing the fresh and escalated phase of agitation, the Manch has outlined the “Return of Power” (Satta Wapsi) campaign to pressure the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government, ANI reported.
• As per this, district-level meetings would be held on 6 September, followed by “surrounding” with human chains various state ministers on 12-13 September, and of other MLAs and ministers on 19-20 September, the report said.
• At the end of the month, on 30 September, employees will organise a ‘Vidhan Sabha’ session in Chandigarh, where chairs will be set up for MPs and MLAs, and questions will be put to them, it added.

• Further, if demands are still not met, a mega rally will be organised in Sangrur on 10 October, followed by another two-day mass casual leave protest between 21 and 22 October.
• The BJP on Monday accused the Mann government of “persecuting” state employees and called the leader a “dictator”, as per the PTI report. Party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, in a press conference in New Delhi, alleged that the Punjab government was “suppressing and harassing” its employees through “oppressive policies” and denying them the “constitutional right” to raise their voice and protest, it added.
• Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Sunday also expressed support for protesting employees, calling their demands “fully justified” as they were seeking their rightful dues and not any special favour from the government, according to another ANI report.

• Warring questioned the government's inability to provide around ₹14,000 crore for employee-related dues and added that this money represented their “rightful due” rather than a concession. He also criticised the state for paying ₹341 crore to consultants in connection with raising a ₹25,000-crore loan.
• The Punjab government may move the Supreme Court against the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order in the DA case, the ANI report said, citing sources. The petition will likely come this week, sources added.

(With inputs from Agencies)