Chandigarh: Leader of the opposition in Punjab assembly Partap Singh Bajwa on Friday demanded that the salaries of the chief minister, the LoP, the MLAs, as well as senior bureaucrats such as IAS and IPS officers be withheld until the long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) dues of govt employees are released.Taking a firm stand, Bajwa said, when lakhs of employees had been waiting for nearly 30 months for their rightful dues, it was unacceptable for those in positions of power to continue drawing full salaries and benefits. “It is a matter of moral turpitude that ministers, MLAs and Class I officers receive full emoluments while junior employees and pensioners continue to suffer,” he said.Targeting the AAP-led govt under chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Bajwa said govt employees played a decisive role in bringing the party to power, but they had now been “completely betrayed”.He said the delay in releasing the DA exposed the govt’s insensitivity towards its own workforce.The Congress leader urged the state govt to immediately comply with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court, which ordered the release of pending DA instalments. He cautioned against any move to challenge the order, stating that such a step would only prolong the hardship of employees and reflect poorly on the govt’s intent.Highlighting the scale of the issue, Bajwa noted that nearly Rs 14,500 crore in dues remained unpaid, placing immense financial strain on employees and pensioners. “These are not concessions but legitimate earnings of those who have served the state with dedication,” he said.The senior leader also slammed the govt for failing to implement the promised Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in practice, despite issuing a notification. “Employees were given assurances before elections, but what they received instead is delay, deception and neglect,” Bajwa remarked.MSID:: 130170837 413 |
