DMRC contract workers protest outside Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's house

Contractual workers of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation today staged a protest outside Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Kaushambi residence demanding permanent employment.

Around 100 contractual employees of DMRC staged the protest and raised slogans like "Thekedari Pratha Band Karo" (stop contractual employment).

"Around 10,000 persons are presently working with DMRC on a contractual basis, but we are not being made permanent for a long time," said Naveen, a member of Delhi Metro Rail Kamgar Union. He alleged that labour laws were being violated by the private company which hires staff on contractual basis for DMRC. "There are many persons who were hired by this private company around ten years ago.Despite this, we are not being made permanent by this company and also DMRC," he said.

Noting that Kejriwal had promised to finish "Thekari Pratha" (employment on contractual basis) in Delhi, he said, "We have come here to put forward our demands before Delhi's CM".

Meanwhile, Kejriwal's family doctor Vipin Mittal said the Delhi chief minister is now feeling better. "The Chief Minister's health is now better. However, he could not sleep last night due to continuous cough," Dr Mittal told reporters outside Kejriwal's house.