Insaaf Times Desk
The agitation demanding reinstatement of dismissed Special Survey contractual employees in Bihar intensified on Thursday. In Patna, police resorted to baton charge on protesters who were attempting to gherao the BJP state office, leaving several demonstrators injured.
The state government had recently terminated the services of nearly 7,480 contractual employees who had gone on strike, stating that they failed to return to work despite repeated warnings.
The dismissed employees, under the banner of the Special Survey Contractual Employees and Engineers’ Association, have launched a movement. Their key demands include reinstatement, regular appointments, equal pay for equal work, social security benefits (ESIC/EPFO), and pending wage clearance.
On Thursday, thousands of employees marched from Gardanibagh to the BJP office. Police tried to stop the rally, but when protesters refused to disperse, force was used.
CPI(M) state secretary Lalan Chaudhary and DYFI state president Manoj Chandravanshi strongly condemned the lathicharge, alleging that the peaceful protest was suppressed through violence, resulting in several injuries.
Meanwhile, the state government has clarified that recruitment for vacant posts will begin soon, but no official announcement has been made regarding the reinstatement of the dismissed employees.