Thousands of State Government employees from different parts of Madhya Pradesh staged dharna at the Ambedkar Park in the State capital on Sunday. Responding to series of protests, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured them that the Government will hold dialogues for considering their demands. State general secretary of Rajya Karmachari Sangh Ramesh Chandra Sharma claimed that more than 10,000 employees had converged at the venue for the dharna.
“The employees and officers affiliated have come from all over the State to lend their support to the current round of the agitation. leaders of more than 50 employees and officers unions of the State addressed the dharna which is a major success,” Sharma said on Sunday, adding that the protests which began on 14th March had succeeded in pressurising the State Government to heed their demands.
“Reacting to our memorandum with 51-point demands, the CM has sent a message assuring us that the Government will hold dialogue with employee’s representatives,” Sharma said.
Earlier, the protesting employees dropped the plan to take out a rally as the district administration denied permission. “We did not oppose the denial of permission. As Government servants we understand that maintenance of law and order is important. Our agitation has been totally peaceful and even the policemen posted on duty here have appreciated this,” Sharma said.
The employee’s unions clearly resolved, however, that in case the Government fails to address their demands they will go on mass leave on April 9 and start an indefinite strike from April 17.
The demands include hike in grade pay, raising retirement age, regularisation of daily-wage employees, and implementation of fixed career promotion plan apart from many other related demands.