Chandigarh, Sep 2 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Wednesday slammed the AAP government over pending dearness allowance of government employees and pensioners, saying they are feeling cheated.
Addressing the media here, Bajwa said over 7 lakh employees and pensioners have been demanding the release of pending DA arrears of Rs 14,191 crore.
“I want to ask the Mann government whether it will clear the pending DA of employees and pensioners or not,” Bajwa said.
“Do you not want to give DA, or do you not have an arrangement of funds? If you do not have funds, then why do you paint a rosy picture of financial resources? If you have funds for advertisements and other events, then why have employees been deprived of their rights?” he asked.
After four-and-a-half years of the AAP government, government employees are now feeling cheated, the senior Congress leader said.
Bajwa said the Congress always stand by the employees and pensioners.
He said employees had to knock the doors of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed the state government to release all pending DA dues to state employees and pensioners within a fortnight.
He also criticised the government for challenging the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court.
The Punjab government on Tuesday contended that the direction to pay arrears in such a short period is constitutionally impossible.
The special leave petition filed by the additional chief secretary in the finance department challenges the August 3 judgment of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which directed payment of the pending dues at rates applicable for officers of the All India Services serving in the state.
Bajwa said employees had given massive support to the 2022 assembly elections.
Government employees have been demanding the release of pending 18 per cent DA, the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and regularisation of contractual employees.
Over 3 lakh employees went on a statewide strike by taking mass casual leave on August 27 to press the Punjab government to accept their demands. PTI CHS APL APL
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