Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Thursday hit out at Punjab’s Congress-led government for accepting “the lopsided recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission”.
Mr. Chugh accused Finance Minister Manpreet Badal of having failed to vet the recommendations of the Pay Commission in view of hardships faced by government employees and demanded his [Mr. Badal’s] immediate resignation from the State Cabinet.
“When the BJP comes to power in the State, it would revise the recommendations of the pay commission to help the employees,” Mr. Chug said in a statement, adding that the government’s indifferent attitude had forced government employees to go on strike.
He said the Congress government’s insensitivity towards demands made of doctors at a time when they were “fighting COVID-19 as frontline warriors” was also reprehensible.
Mr. Chugh said the State government should have held discussions with government employees to hear their grievances before implementing the Pay Commission’s report. “But the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister seemed to be plotting more for political gains out of it than to give real relief to employees,” he alleged.
He added there was a gloomy atmosphere across the State due to failed governance in Punjab. “If liquor mafias, sand mafias and transport mafias are running the State, government employees should not have much hope from the Congress government,” Mr. Chug said.