Chandigarh, January 22
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Senior Leader and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema promised that key demands of Punjab government employees and pensioners would be part of AAP’s manifesto. Cheema said that immediately after the formation of Aam Aadmi Party government in the state, the major demands of the employees would be met and government employees will get long due justice.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Congress, Akali Dal Badal, Bhartiya Janata Party and Capt. Amarinder Singh had brutally trampled on the rights of government employees and breached every promise made to them. He said that the youth in Punjab is unemployed and Akali and Congress governments promoted contracting and outsourcing system and public sectors were destroyed. He said that the Badal family and Capt. Amarinder Singh’s governments had not even given the benefit of the recommendations of the pay commission to the employees. They also stopped the government pensions.
Cheema said that whether it was a matter of facilitating the people with basic amenities or the legitimate demands of the employees and pensioners, the ruling parties always referred to the financial crisis. The Congress and Badal governments have been looting the allowances, pensions and other financial benefits of the employees. He said that Aam Aadmi Party government would fill the exchequer by abolishing mafia rule in the state but not out of the pockets of the working class.
Talking about the Congress party’s 2017 election manifesto, Harpal Singh Cheema said that the election manifesto of the Congress and Captain had proved to be a bundle of lies. Former Congress Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh and current Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi have not kept their promises made to the employees. The Congress government has not given the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission to the employees nor has it restored the old pension. He said that the Congress also failed in providing new government jobs to every household in Punjab like they promised and has not given any allowances to the unemployed youth. The Congress did not fulfil its promise to open employment offices in every district, and the already established district employment offices are dying due to lack of staff.
Claiming the formation of Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, Harpal Singh Cheema said that AAP government would do justice to the employees of the state. The major demands of the employees will be included in the election manifesto of AAP. These include timely implementation of the recommendations of the Pay Commission of 2025, payment of DA as per the inflation index, restoration of old government pensions, implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission etc. He said that AAP had not been a supporter of outsourcing and contract recruitment system from the very beginning; hence the recruitment process would be completed along with the no more temporary recruitment and contract system in the state. Apart from this the remaining benefits related to the outstanding allowances and pensions of the employees would also be given.
