DA issue: State set to initiate dialogue with protesting employees

MP  | 8 Apr 2023  |  Kolkata: Following the order of the Calcutta High Court directing the state government to initiate a dialogue with the protesting state government employees over pending Dearness Allowance, the forum of the employees has set a three-point agenda for the meeting. 

A division bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Thursday, directed the West Bengal government to initiate a dialogue with the protesting state government employees by April 17 relating to the issue of pending dearness allowance arrears. The division bench comprising acting Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmoy Bhattacharya directed the state government to hold a meeting with a three-member delegation representing the state government employees. Also Read - Covid surge across the nation: State to increase surveillance 

The meeting should be aimed at breaking the impasse that prevails presently surrounding the issue of pending dearness allowance. The court made it clear that the state has to reach a solution over this matter through this meeting. 

A day after the court’s directive, the joint forum that is leading the protest, on Friday, decided to highlight a three-point agenda for the meeting. The joint forum convenor Bhaskar Ghosh asserted that the state must first withdraw the petition filed at the Supreme Court challenging the verdict of a division bench of Calcutta High Court last year directing the state government to clear dearness allowance arrears. Also 

He further highlighted that secondly, the state government must withdraw the show-cause notices issued to the different state government employees for participating in the strike last month. He added that thirdly the state government should withdraw the orders for punitive transfers to certain employees for participating in the strike. 

The forum is of the opinion that apart from these, they will also stick to their demand of regularisation of the temporary staff and filling up the vacant posts. About 500 members of the joint forum will hold a two-day sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on April 10 and April 11 and try to meet President Draupadi Murmu and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, or both and highlight their points. 

The forum clarified that their leaders will be in New Delhi and will return to Kolkata on April 12. Hence, the proposed meeting with the state government can happen only after that.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/covid-surge-across-the-nation-state-to-increase-surveillance-514482?infinitescroll=1