Congress leaders and workers held a demonstration on Monday in front of the District Administrative Complex in Jalandhar, demanding the release of the pending dearness allowance (DA) installment for government employees and pensioners. The protestors raised slogans against the state government, accusing it of failing to fulfill its promises.
Congress Leaders Criticize AAP Government
District Congress Committee president Rajinder Beri and Jalandhar West constituency in-charge Surinder Kaur stated that government employees are being forced to stage protests and approach courts just to secure their rightful dues. They highlighted that employees had supported the Aam Aadmi Party in the 2022 elections, but the government has not delivered on its commitments.
Beri remarked, 'Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had assured that if the AAP government came to power in Punjab, no one would need to protest and all concerns would be addressed. However, after four and a half years, not a single rupee has been given to employees by this government.'
Employees Compelled to Protest
Surinder Kaur added, 'Employees are now compelled to protest and face police action to obtain their dues from the government. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema claims that Punjab’s treasury is full, but the government has no money to pay its employees. The pending DA installment should be released immediately.'
Other Congress leaders, including Dr. Jasleen Sethi, Jagdish Dakoha, Gurvinder Pal Bunty Neelkanth, Mandeep Jassal, Ashwani Jangral, and Vijay Dakoha, expressed solidarity with the employees. They noted, 'This is the first government in Punjab that has not provided a DA installment to employees. Under all previous governments, employees were always taken care of during festivals and special occasions. The Congress has always stood by these employees and will continue to struggle to secure their dues.'
The protest underscores growing discontent among government employees in Punjab, who have been awaiting the release of their dearness allowance for an extended period.
