Thousands of employees of urban bodies in the State, including Raipur, remained on strike on the sixth day, whereas, five employees have started hunger strike in Raipur. They say that they will remain on strike till their demands were not considered.
According to sources, the State office-bearers of employees’ unions would gather in Raipur on Sunday and would prepare further strategy. The employees of urban bodies have been on strike since last six days with their 21-point charter of demands, including sixth pay arrears. On the first day they started with pen down strike, then, after taking two days mass leave they staged dharnas and protests. Even then their demands were not considered, they started indefinite strike. During the period the administration has suspended five employees, including two zone commissioners and pandals were removed from the venue of strike.
The sources said that this action of the administration has further infuriated the striking urban body employees. Rakesh Sharma, Hargovind Joshi, Raghunath Verma, Arun Sharma and Punyasheel are on hunger strike in Raipur, the sources added. State president of Chhattisgarh Autonomous bodies employees’ union Suresh Tiwari said that employees across the State were protesting against the action of the administration. Sadbuddhi yagyas have been conducted at some places including Mahasamund and Bilaspur for giving wisdom to the officers who were out to suppress the movement of the employees, he added. Employees’ leaders Tiwari, Arun Dubey and Ajay Verma said that the hunger strike could be extended to the entire state against the action of the administration.