Govt staff protest in Arunachal, 2 held under ESMA

Thousands of agitating Govt employees, demanding implementation of the 6th pay commission reports, blocked several areas in Itanagar for hours and tried to gherao police stations following arrest of two of their colleagues under ESMA.

Thousands of agitating Arunachal Pradesh government employees, demanding implementation of the 6th pay commission reports, blocked several areas in Itanagar for hours and tried to gherao police stations following arrest of two of their colleagues under ESMA on Thursday.

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The District Magistrate Padmini Singla and Superintendent of Police Hibu Tamang rushed to Itanagar police station with reinforcements as around 3000 agitating employees gathered near the PS disrupting traffic. Another crowd of 2,000 employees gathered in Naharlagoon police sation area.

The state government invoked the Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA) on Wednesday after the members the Confederation of Service Associations of Arunachal Pradesh refused to call off their strike started on February 5.

The state government under a recent agreement with CoSAAP leaders implemented the recommendations from January last with some modifications, including only 6 months arrear.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu has appealed to the employees to perform their duty.