Government employees plan mass leave in Gujarat on Thursday

Lakhs of state government employees will go on mass casual leave (CL) on Thursday to press for their demands. This follows a massive rally organised by government employees in Ahmedabad last month.

Gujarat State Employees Co-ordination Committee, which is spearheading the employees’ agitation against the government, on Tuesday clarified that there was no change in its plans with regards to the mass CL of September 27.

An estimated 5.50 lakh government employees across the state, ranging from class I officers to class IV employees, and those belonging to Sachivalaya cadre, panchayats, government boards and corporations, are expected to go on leave on the day.

“The state government has not withdrawn police cases filed against office bearers of employees’ union. Their transfer orders too haven’t been cancelled. Further, the government is yet to accept the demands of employees,” stated RA Patel, spokesperson of the Committee in a press release.

The Committee also asked the employees to ensure that they are not swayed by rumours of the protest being called off, and called for their wholehearted support in the fight against the government.  The employees’ main demands include full implementation of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations, enhancing retirement age from 58 to 60, among others.

State government meanwhile is expected to hold talks with the co-ordination committee on Wednesday in a bid to convince them to withdraw the stir. “At this moment, we are gearing up for the mass CL,” said an office bearer of the committee.