Police clampdown stops many from reaching meeting venue; staff threaten more such rallies.
Amid all uncertainty and excitement, the rally and meeting of the government employees ended peacefully.
More than one lakh state government employees were expected to take part in the rally organised by the Gujarat Karmachari Sankalan Samiti to demand implementation of recommendation of the sixth pay commission. However, only around six thousand employees attended the rally at the Ahmedabad Education Society ground on Sunday.
The employees blamed the state government’s rigid attitude for forcing them to organise protest rally and the public meeting. “The state government is making false statements by saying that the employees’ demands are illegal and that they have been given the benefits of the sixth pay commission recommendations,” said Vivek Kapadia, president of All Gujarat Officers Federation.
The state government was supposed to credit the first instalment of 20 per cent of the arrears in GPF account by April 1, 2009, but that has not been done, and the government is talking about giving 8 per cent interest on it, he said.
Vishnu Patel, president of the Gujarat Karmachari Sankalan Samiti, asked the employees to show their strength during election if the state government does not accept their demands. “The state government tried to sabotage the rally and public meeting by detaining vehicles and employees on their way, but in vain,” said Patel. The government has given benefits of thousands of crores to its favourite industrial houses, but is not ready to give employees their rights, he said.
Rameshwar Lot, a leader of class-IV employees’ union, said that the government is busy with various utsavs and is neglecting around 12 lakh employees.
The employees’ federation has decided to continue their fight till they get justice, and protest at every site where the chief minister will attend a festival or address a public meeting.
“Had the government not sabotaged the rally, the number of employees present would have been much higher,” said Kapadia.
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