Kolkata, March 25 (IANS) Joint forum of state government employees, spearheading the movement against non-payment of dearness allowance arrears by the West Bengal government, on Saturday withdrew the relay fasting here, while continuing with the other forms of protests.
However, the forum representatives clarified that only the relay fasting has been withdrawn and that too temporarily, while other forms of protests, including non cooperation with the state government, will continue.
According to the joint forum spokesperson Tapas Chakraborty, the decision to withdraw the relay fasting agitation was taken after a number of protesters fell sick, with some of them having to be hospitalised.
“Many were suffering from kidney problems. So, considering the evolving situation we have decided to withdraw the strike temporarily,” he said.
However, another agitator Tapas Sinha, said that the decision of withdrawing the fasting agitation, 44 days after it started, is temporary and if necessary, they will start similar agitation in the near future.
The joint forum has already announced that they will be going on mass leave on March 30 besides organising a mega protest rally on the streets of Kolkata on the same day.
At the same time, the forum will be organising a two-day sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi from April 10. Already the state government employees are observing the “digital non-cooperation” movement against the state government on the DA issue. Prior to that, they observed a day’s strike and a two-day pen-down strike on the issue.
Some of the state government employees who participated in the one-day strike have already been slapped with a show-cause notice. A crucial hearing on the DA issue at the Supreme Court on Tuesday had been deferred to April 11.
–IANS
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