Discontent is simmering again within the ranks of the association of general and OBC employees after the Uttarakhand government changed the roster system of recruitment again to benefit the SC candidates.
The powerful association was on strike on the issue of reservations in promotions from March 2 and it took back its strike only after the government accepted their demand on March 18.
The association however made it clear on Friday that it has no immediate plan to go on any agitation on the issue of roster. In a meeting of the office bearers of the association on Friday, the association decided that in view of the threat posed by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), it would cooperate with the government.
The general secretary of the association, Virendra Gusain told The Pioneer that all the employees have decided to donate salary of one day for the cause of fighting Coronavirus.
He said that the employees have decided to fully co-operate the government in combating the dreaded disease and make the call given by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to observe ‘Janata Curfew’ on Sunday, a success.
Gusain however added that the association lodges its strong protest on the state government’s decision to place the candidates of SC community on position one in the roster of recruitment.
He said that in the meeting with the chairman of the cabinet subcommittee on roster, Madan Kaushik on February 11, the minister had given positive assurance to association.
It is pertinent to mention here that on September 11 last year, the Uttarakhand government issued a new policy of reservation roster in government services, corporations, public enterprises and educational institutions. Under the policy the first five places in the roster of new recruitment were kept for candidates of general category while the sixth position was earmarked for SC candidates.
In the pattern followed earlier, the first position was kept for SC candidates. After a furore created on the issue by the SC and ST community and statement released by the senior cabinet minister Yashpal Arya, the State Government constituted a new Cabinet committee headed by Madan Kaushik on the issue. On the recommendation of Kaushik committee and approval of the cabinet, the Uttarakhand government on Thursday restored the first position in roster to SC.