Government staff fear "service break" as strike nears 90- day mark

MANAS R BANNERJEE, SNS, SILIGURI, 6 SEPTEMBER 2017: As the indefinite shutdown cal led by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJMM) and endorsed by the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee(GMCC) and the entire Gorkha people in the Hills entered the 84th day today, government employees were scratching their heads at the thought that they may have to face a " break in service" if they fail to report for duty for 90 consecutive days.

It may be noted that the shutdown will complete 90 days on 12 September, the day Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called for talks with Hill parties at Uttarkanya in Siliguri on the Hill impasse.

At a time when the CM as well as a section of political party activists in the Hills and the plains is confidently expecting that normality will get back to the Hills after the meeting at Uttarkanya, several state and the central government employees in the Hills are in fearing the " service break."

"CM Mamata Banerjee will be arriving here on 11 September and hold the meeting on 12 September and leave fro Kolkata on the 13th," official sources said.

However, government officials explained that there was no particular rule that anyone not reporting for duty for 90 days could be terminated from service. As per the service conduct rules, any employee who observes even a one-day strike can be punished and his service"broken," while it all depends on how the government looks at it.

There are two stories on the 90- day mark that are doings the rounds in the Hills at present. While a section of the Hill people believes that President's Rule will be imposed in the state if the strike crosses 90 days, the other section, mostly government employees, fear possible action against them for absenteeism.

Rebel GJMM leader Binay Tamang has rubbished "Rumours" being spread by the Bimal Gurung faction of the party that a President's Rule will be imposed after the strike crosses the 90 day mark which, according to the leaders, can help achieve Gorkhaland. Brushing aside such a 'belief,' Mr Tamang has been  seen appealing the people to call off the strike.

"Nobody has said it officially. It all came through the grape vines. Though 90 days of strike is related to massive breakdown of law and order situation due to the failure of the state administration. I doubt about the benefits of such misleading campaigning," Gorkha National liberation Front (GNLF) general secretary Mahendra Chhetri said.

"The unfortunate thing is that, though the literacy rate in the Hills is higher than other districts in the Plains, people belonging to our community simply believe in such campaigns," Mr Chhetri added.

Notably, Hill Trinamul Congress president Rajen Mukhia also said. 'We are trying hard to bring back normality in the Hills though people, despite their sufferings, have been observing the indefinite strike. The strike has crossed the 90-day mark, and the dream is yet to be fulfilled. But still, they (GJMM) are saying that Gorkhaland will he created after the shutdown completes 90 days. Let us wait for 90th day to arrive and see for ourselves.'

However, Hill-based Communist leader KB Watter said that people do not believe in such misleading stories. "Rather, several people associated with government offices are now worried about their service.They fear the break in service if they are absent over 90 days," he said.

"If the strike continues due to a conflict between the two GJMM leaders, hundreds of people will suffer,given the violation of the service conduct rul es, It will create another problem in the Hills as people here, including tea workers, have patiently observed the strike for Gorkhaland," he added.

Asked to comment on the "service break" fear, a semi government official said: " all depends on the government. Ninety days or one single day, it is the same.The government can punish a employee, if s/he observes even one-day strike, by deducting pay and perks and breaking service. The state government had issued a notice when the GJMM called the first one-day strike in June. The notice is still effective when employees will be treated "dies non" (absent without approval)." "The government will examine the situation before taking action again its employees based on report and it may consider sympathetically if it is proved that the circumstances was beyond their control for attending offices."