To pressurise the State Government to meet their eight-point demand including their appointment on contract basis, Uttarakhand Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employee Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) Employee Union members took out a rally from Parade Ground to Secretariat and shouted anti-Government slogans on Wednesday.
However, for redressal of their grievances, Government has called a meeting with union members on Thursday and rural development minister Pritam Singh will be attending this meeting. The protesters warned that they will rally upto Chief Minister’s residence on Thursday if their demands are not met. Union members assembled at Parade Ground and passed through various localities before reaching Secretariat, causing traffic congestion along the route. They were stopped at Secretariat police barricading. Police had verbal arguments when they tried to break the police barricading outside Secretariat.
Union member SM Sharma alleged that they had submitted several memorandums to the department officers but Government has remained apathetic. The association had protested between September 5 and November 28, 2011 in support of demands and strike was called off after receiving government assurance.
No action was taken by the Government. A delegation of union members had met the then Tehri MP Vijay Bahuguna in October 2011 and he had assured redressal of their grievances. Their demands include, appointment on contract basis, hike in allowances, travel allowance and appointments to fill vacant posts in the department among other demands, he added.