Ludhiana: Angry government staffers to observe ‘Black Day’ on July 17

The agitated employees reminded that the Aam Aadmi Party had promised during the 2022 Assembly elections to give Central pay scales to all employees recruited after July 17, 2020, a promise still unkept

In protest against the Punjab government’s failure to implement Central pay scales for employees recruited after July 17, 2020, government employees have announced to observe ‘Black Day’ on July 17.

The protesting employees accuse the Bhagwant Mann-led government of openly defying court rulings and failing to honour its own election promise. (HT Photo)

The agitated employees noted that despite clear orders from the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court, the state government has repeatedly failed to implement these directives, leaving them in lurch.

During the protest led by the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation, employees across the state will wear black badges and ribbons at their workplaces to mark their anger and disappointment. The protesting employees accuse the Bhagwant Mann-led government of openly defying court rulings and failing to honour its own election promise.

Federation leaders Darshan Singh Lubana, Charan Singh Sarabha, Ranjit Singh Ranwan, Gurpreet Singh Mangwal, Surinder Kumar Puari, Kartar Singh Pal among others said the government is deliberately delaying justice by not applying the court’s decision to all eligible employees.

They demanded that instead of tweaking service rules, the government must implement the verdict uniformly. They also reminded that the Aam Aadmi Party had promised during the 2022 Assembly elections to give Central pay scales to all employees recruited after July 17, 2020, a promise still unkept.