The members of Uttarakhand General-OBC Employees Association claimed that the State Government is using the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to thwart their protest against reservations in promotions. According to the members, the government evoked Uttarakhand Epidemic Act 2020 just to oppress them and their strike across the state. Besides, the protesting members also organised a two-wheeler rally in Dehradun against the State Government on Sunday.
Addressing a Press conference on Sunday, the state head of the association Deepak Joshi said that Uttarakhand Government has not prohibited gatherings in malls, markets, bus stations, railway stations and especially the Jhanda Mela in which thousands of people gather from other States too.
According to him, the government has evoked Uttarakhand Epidemic Act 2020 specifically to influence their protest through its oppressive policies. He said, “We will continue our strike irrespective of coronavirus while taking proper precautions during the protest and even if the situation worsens, we will continue the work boycott by staying at home.
No one from our association will resume work until the government accepts our demands.” While addressing the media, Joshi informed that considering the threat of coronavirus and public welfare, the employees from health services will not be joining the strike but will extend the time of their work boycott from two hours to two and a half hours.
“Considering the current coronavirus situation, the employees from health services which include allopathic doctors, nurses and pharmacists will not join the protest full time from Monday but will extend their work boycot hours,” said Joshi. According to the protesting employees, the employees from health services will join the protest full time after March 25.
Joshi also informed that almost all the associations of government services except roadways are in support of their association. Meanwhile, the doctor in charge of Community Health Centre (CHC), Raipur, Dr Anand Shukla said that if the government doesn’t take the right decision soon, they will have to join the protest too.
He said that if action is taken against any protesting employee of General-OBC category, the employees of health services will go on strike without any notice.