Chandigarh, Aug 29 (IANS) Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Kewal Singh Dhillon on Saturday condemned the state government’s decision to issue show‑cause notices to lakhs of employees who took mass leave in support of their demands.

The BJP’s stand comes in the wake of the government directing all state administrative secretaries and heads of departments to issue notices to employees who participated in the August 27 mass casual leave.

Dhillon said that in an attempt to hide its failures and financial mismanagement, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had resorted to attacking the rights of employees and threatening them.

He added that issuing notices to employees who took leave as per rules to raise their legitimate demands was highly condemnable.

He said that in a democracy, the government’s responsibility was to listen to the voice of its employees and resolve their demands, rather than suppressing them through notices and threats.

Dhillon pointed out that AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, had earlier participated in employees’ protests and made promises in support of their demands.

He alleged that after coming to power, the same employees were now being treated as a burden and a challenge.

He said employees were the backbone of any government, as administration, education, healthcare, governance and public services function because of their hard work. In such a situation, the government’s arrogant and threatening attitude was condemnable and exposed its dictatorial mindset.

Dhillon appealed to employees to support the BJP in building an employee‑friendly and accountable government in Punjab, so that employees and pensioners received their dues on time and were not forced to take to the streets.

Government services across Punjab were impacted on August 27, with over three lakh employees of almost all departments, boards and corporations going on strike. They were joined by nearly four lakh pensioners.

The impact of the “Maha Hartal” was also seen in government hospitals, dispensaries and educational institutes. However, markets, private establishments, buses and emergency services were exempted from the shutdown.

–IANS

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