The state government employees’ strike against the bill proposing quota in promotions for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe employees continued for the third day in Lucknow on Saturday.

The Sarvajan Hitai Sanrakshan Samiti that is leading the agitation claimed that nearly 18 lakh employees remained on strike.

The stir got a boost with the general category and backward class employees of Uttarakhand extending support to it.

Samiti president Shailendra Dubey said, “The employees in Uttarakhand went on strike in protest against the bill.”

In various districts, the employees boycotted work. Protest meetings were organised on the premises of the district collectorate in Varanasi, Agra, Kanpur, Bareilly and Gorakhpur.

In Lucknow, the employees gathered on the premises of their offices and marched to Vidhan Bhawan.

A meeting was organised near Vidhan Bhawan, demanding immediate withdrawal of the SC/ST promotion quota bill.

Security sought for SC/ST staff
On the call of Arakshan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, the employees supporting the bill worked in government offices on Saturday.

Samiti convenor Awadesh Kumar Verma said the employees worked four hours extra. A delegation of the samiti met National Scheduled Caste Commission chairman PL Punia and submitted a memorandum demanding security for the SC/ ST employees.

Punia assured the employees that there would be no discrimination against them and he would urge the state government to provide security to the employees who were working in the government offices.