Golay threatens fast on pay

Golay with former chief minister BB Gurung in Gangtok on Monday

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, Aug 14, 2018, Gangtok: P.S. Golay, the president of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, on Monday assailed chief minister Pawan Chamling and his government on a number of fronts and even threatened to go on a fast-unto-death if the fifth pay commission was not implemented with retrospective effect from January 1, 2016.

Addressing his first press conference after being released from jail on Friday, Golay dared the chief minister to have a public debate on a host of issues. "We challenge the SDF government and Pawan Chamling to have a discussion on any issue. On organic, we are ready, hydro project, we are ready, revenue, we are ready, employment, we are ready, administration, we are ready, health sector, we are ready," he said.

Asking the government to withdraw the notification implementing the fifth pay commission with effect from January 1, 2017, Golay said the government employees must be given their due.

"We demand that the fifth pay commission be implemented from January 1, 2016, and not January 1, 2017...We demand that arrears be given from January 1, 2016 not in installments, but at one go. If the notification is not withdrawn, we will go on a fast-unto-death for employees," he said without setting a deadline.

The 80,000-odd state government employees constitute a massive vote bank. There are about four lakh voters in the state. The employees, too, have been demanding the implementation of the pay commission from January 1, 2016.

Golay also promised to scrap the screening committee to consider promotions of government employees if his party came to power.

"Where is the need for screening committee? It is there to promote favourtism. If the SKM government comes to power, we will scrap it. There will only be time-bound promotions," he said, while asking the government to formulate a transfer and promotion policy.

Golay dared the government to bring in legislations to reserve seats for the Nepali community and women in the Assembly. "The chief minister has divided the Nepali community to come to power. If the government is really concerned about Nepali community, it should call a special session of the Assembly and pass a Bill reserving seats for the community in the Assembly."