A “cease-work” agitation called by a section of state government staffers over pending dearness allowance (DA) witnessed mixed outcomes on Friday. The protest was called by the Sangrami Joutha Mancha (Joint Movement Forum) to press the West Bengal government for payment of DA arrears, and implementation of a recent Supreme Court direction on the issue.
A commotion broke out outside Khadya Bhavan, the headquarters of the West Bengal Food and Civil Supplies Department as a section of state government employees tried to stop colleagues from entering the office.
Forum leader Bhaskar Ghosh said that most state government employees abstained from work, and said the protesters appealed to those who turned up to stay away in solidarity with the agitation.
“We offered red roses to those who came to work, requesting them not to attend office today. Many listened, while those who did not, acted as per their conscience,” he told reporters.
“People supported our legitimate demand. We will continue our movement till we get our due,” he added.
Ghosh denied allegations that protesters blocked vehicles from entering the premises on Free School Street, and alleged that “provocations came from a few pro-TMC government employees”.
In Calcutta High Court too, almost 75% of employees remained absent. Chief Justice Sujoy Pal was present in the court room for hearing but no officials and advocates were present in the court. According to sources, after waiting for some time, the Chief Justice went away. Sources added that work in the High Court on Friday was stalled due to the strike.
CPIM leader and advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya was also among the protesters.
Members of the forum also staged demonstrations outside government offices in several districts, including Berhampur, Bankura, Barasat, Malda and Midnapore, urging colleagues to refrain from work.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari also claimed that the ‘ceasework’ received widespread support. Adhikari said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power in the state, it would implement the recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission and ensure payment of dues within 45 days.
However, convener of the Trinamool Congress-backed State Government Employees’ Federation, Pratap Nayek, claimed the agitation failed to disrupt work.
A spokesperson of the TMC-affiliated state government employees’ union claimed that attendance in offices remained “100 per cent” despite the agitation, and said the employees supported the “pro-people and pro-government policies” of the Mamata Banerjee administration.
According to sources, attendance remained high at several West Bengal government offices in the city, including at secretariat Nabanna, as well as in block offices, municipalities, panchayats and state-aided educational institutions across the state.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Finance Department issued a memorandum, making attendance compulsory for all state government employees on Friday.
The directive said all state government offices and institutions receiving grants-in-aid must remain fully functional, and employees would not be allowed to avail casual leave or any other form of absence on the day.
It warned that any unauthorised absence would be treated as “dies-non” resulting in loss of pay for the day and a break in service record.
The order clarified that employees already on sanctioned maternity leave, child care leave, medical leave or earned leave approved before March 12 would not be affected. Absence due to hospitalisation, bereavement in the family or serious illness beginning before March 12 would also be exempt subject to verification.
(With PTI inputs)