Salary deduction cloud after strike

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, Darjeeling, Sept. 9: Most of the 20,000- odd state government employees in the hills will be receiving their salaries for only six days for the month of August, according to an order by the state government. 

Sources in the district administration today said the state government has decided to deduct the salaries of the employees for not attending offices during the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's shutdown. 

The agitation was later christened janata ghar bhitra ( people inside their homes) and janata ghar bahira ( people outside their homes) that was started from July 29. " 

As per our records, most of the employees will be receiving six days' salary. Some are getting their salaries for 10 and 15 days. There are very few who are getting the entire month's salary," said an administrative source. 

The attendance of six days works out to the total number of relaxation given by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and later the Gorkhaland Joint Action Committee ( JAC) — a conglomeration of six political and apolitical organisations that is spearheading the current agitation. 

The indefinite strike was relaxed on August 1 and 2 and again for four days from August 15 onwards. " Employees of the departments like health and other emergency services are the ones who are getting the maximum salary," said the source. 

Emergency services were exempt from the ambit of the closure. 

The state government's move comes at a time the hills were expected to return to normality. " Last time, when the JAC had decided to withdraw the strike and confine the agitation to rallies and forming human chain, the state government arrested a senior Morcha leader Binay Tamang, which prompted the Morcha to for an indefinite closure," said a hill observer. " 

Now before a crucial meeting of the JAC on restoring normality, the state government has taken a decision which is going to antagonise a wide section of the hill populace," the observer added. 

An observer said: " The state's decision could have a bearing on the outcome of the JAC meeting tomorrow." 

The JAC meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, the last day of the two- day shutdown breather that was used by the people to stock up on essentials. 

The JAC had earlier decided to scale down its agitation from August 24 but Tamang was arrested two days earlier, prompting the Morcha to overrule the committee's decision. 

The Morcha did not react immediately. " I have just heard of the government's decision. We will react tomorrow after getting the details," said Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha.  Sources in the administration said the district administration had made it clear that salaries would be deducted if the employees failed to turn up. " The information was passed on to all employees. Moreover, we had also sought a reply to showcause notices. The government has taken the decision after all due process." 

Reacting sharply, an employee said the decision has only strengthened his resolve for statehood. " What was the fault of an employee who stays far from Darjeeling and cannot attend office given the prevailing situation? The state s decision has only strengthened my resolve," he added. 

The employee said: " Those who have taken the decision from Calcutta should have attended offices in the hills without police escort. Would the home secretary have attended office without police protection?" 

During the Left Front's regime, the Morcha had closed government offices for months on as part of their non- cooperation movement but the state had not deducted its employees' salary.