Continuing their strike for the 17th day against the State Government’s decision to hire 700 private buses, Haryana Roadways employees on Thursday announced to extend the strike by another two days and to hold a rally in Jind district on November 4.
Defying EMSA enforcement, the roadways employees have been on strike since October 16 in the state.
The longest ever roadways strike have hit the public transport services despite the State Government making alternate arrangements, including appointing drivers and conductors and hiring buses.
The roadways, having a fleet of 4,100 buses, cater to about 12 lakh passengers daily.
The striking employees on Thursday observed ‘Black day’ on the occasion of Haryana’s foundation day on November 1.
“The Haryana Roadways Employees Coordination Committee on Thursday decided to extend the stir till November 4. The protesters will hold a 'save roadways protect employment' state-level rally at Jind on November 4,” said committee leader Dalbir Kirmara.
Accusing the BJP led Haryana Government of ignoring its employees, he said, “The present dispensation is least bothered about employees and people of the state and its only aim is to benefit the chosen ones.”
He added that the employees will announce their next course of action at the Jind rally. The employees have alleged that the government's move to induct 700 private buses is a step towards privatisation of the state roadways.
The activists of the Sarv Karmachari Sangh and the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh and gram panchayats and khap leaders have also been invited to attend the rally.
In the past few days, employees under Sarv Karmachari Sangh and the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh and gram panchayats, khap leaders in Haryana have lent their support to the roadways employees’ strike.
Opposition Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) have already extended their support to the protesting employees. A day before, a Congress delegation had also met Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya urging him to intervene to put an end to the ongoing strike.