Punjab CM warns revenue officials, DC office staff of strict action if they proceed with strike

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday warned revenue officials and staff at deputy commissioners' offices of strict action if they go ahead with their proposed strike call. Over 2,000 employees under the banner of the Revenue Patwar Union and the Revenue Kanungo Association have called for an indefinite pen-down strike from Friday following the registration of a corruption case against a 'patwari' and a 'kanungo' (both revenue officials) in Sangrur district a week ago.

The DC Office Employees' Association will observe a pen-down strike from September 11-13 to press for their various demands. In response to the strike call, Mann told the employees that if they go ahead with the pen-down strike, "the state government will decide whether to give them their pens back or not", indicating that they could lose their jobs. Mann asserted that the public would not be allowed to be harassed because of the strike.

In a post in Punjabi X, Mann said, "As per information, patwaris, kanungos in favor of one of their colleagues involved in a bribery case and DC (deputy commissioners') office employees for their personal demands are going to go on a pen-down strike". He added, "I want to tell you that they are free to go ahead with a pen-down strike but the state government will later decide whether to give them their pens back or not we have many educated unemployed people who are ready to hold your pens. The people of Punjab will not be allowed to suffer."

Later, in a statement, Mann asked them not to proceed with their proposed strike for their vested interests or in support of those facing corruption charges. Mann said the state government is firmly committed to wipe out corruption. It has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption and neither any corrupt element nor their sympathizers will be spared in the drive to make the system transparent, clean, and effective in the larger public interest.

The Revenue Patwar Union and the Revenue Kanungo Association have claimed that a false case was registered against their member and demanded that the FIR be withdrawn. On the other hand, around 3,500 employees under the banner of the DC Office Employees' Association are demanding promotions to the posts of superintendent grade-2 and senior assistants. The association claimed that 50 posts of superintendents grade 2 and 130 posts of senior assistants are lying vacant because no promotions have taken place in more than two years. (PTI)