Government school teachers and pensioners held protests across the district on Saturday to condemn the state government’s disciplinary actions against employees who participated in the August 27 ‘Mahabandh’.
The protests were organised by the Joint Coordination Committee following the cancellation of a scheduled meeting between employee organisations and the chief minister on August 27.
The demonstrations involved teachers burning copies of official notices and social media posts outside multiple schools. The unrest follows the government’s directions to initiate action against staff absent from duty during the statewide strike.
Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) district president Ramanjit Singh Sandhu and general secretary Rupinder Pal Singh Gill said teachers held demonstrations outside several schools, raising slogans against the government and burning copies of notices issued regarding employee absences and a recent social media post by the CM. Protesters at Government Senior Secondary School in Dhanansu, including officiating head Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, burned copies of the chief minister’s post to express solidarity.
Meanwhile, in Jagraon, employee and pensioner organisations gathered outside the SDM office before marching towards the bus stand to raise slogans against the administration. The protesting teachers alleged that instead of resolving long-pending grievances, the government was attempting to suppress employees through disciplinary notices and warnings.
Their core demands include withdrawing new central-pattern pay scales for staff recruited after July 17, 2020, restoring the old pension scheme, releasing an 18% pending dearness allowance, and reinstating 37 discontinued allowances. Furthermore, the unions demanded the implementation of pending benefits under the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission, the regularisation of contractual employees, associate teachers, and computer teachers, and the immediate withdrawal of termination-related show-cause notices issued to teachers recruited through various drives.
{{/usCountry}}Their core demands include withdrawing new central-pattern pay scales for staff recruited after July 17, 2020, restoring the old pension scheme, releasing an 18% pending dearness allowance, and reinstating 37 discontinued allowances. Furthermore, the unions demanded the implementation of pending benefits under the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission, the regularisation of contractual employees, associate teachers, and computer teachers, and the immediate withdrawal of termination-related show-cause notices issued to teachers recruited through various drives.
{{/usCountry}}Union leaders warned that the agitation will be further intensified following decisions taken at the coordination committee meeting in Ludhiana, which may include demonstrations outside the residences of local MLAs.