Ludhiana: Agri varsity non-teaching staff begin fast unto death

The move comes on the 106th day of the ongoing protests over regularisation of the contractual employees who are getting meagre salaries between ₹8,000 and ₹10,000

As the protest Punjab Agricultural University’s (PAU) contractual non-teaching staff entered 106th day on Thursday, the protesters have initiated a fast unto death. The protesters accuse the administration of not regularizing them despite over a thousand posts lying vacant since 2009.

PAU non-teaching staff during the protest over regularisation in Ludhiana on Thursday. (HT Photo)

The protesters alleged that the university authorities have cited budgetary constraints as the reason for not filling the vacant posts and delaying the regularisation and salary increments for the staff.

Expressing their frustration, Jagwinderjit Singh, PAU Non-Teaching Employees’ Union, said, “It has been over 100 days since we started the protest. Although the authorities keep claiming they don’t have the budget to regularize us or increase our salary, they have been advertising to recruit for other positions, including drivers and gardeners.”

The protesters said that they have raised their grievances before several politicians as well, including former Congress minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Aam Aadmi Party MLA Gurpreet Gogi, all in vain.

“We have had multiple meetings with university authorities, politicians and others, but we have been let down every time,” said union member Jasveer Singh. He pointed out that they are getting a meagre salary of ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 per month.

PAU vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal said, “We are unable to regularise all of them at the same time due to the limited number of sanctioned posts. The vacancies remain unfilled due to budgetary restrictions. However, we have taken the matter up before the management board, and have decided to advertise regular job openings by Monday.”