Govt. staff call off strike

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, MAY 31. The indefinite strike launched earlier in the day by the Pondicherry Government employees was called off in the evening, at the intervention of the Chief Minister, Mr. P. Shanmugham.

Immediately on his return from New Delhi, the Chief Minister held discussions with the representatives of the Confederation of the Employees Associations. He assured that all the employees of the Mahatma Gandhi Government Dental College and Hospital who were either suspended or dismissed would be reinstated without any delay, an official source said.

The employees and also the leader of the confederation who were remanded were also released.

Work in depts. hit

Earlier, the indefinite strike launched by Groups C and D staff in response to the call given by their confederation in Pondicherry today threw out of gear work in all the departments.

The agitation was to urge the management of the Mahatma Gandhi Government Dental College and Hospital run by the administration through a registered society to reinstate all non-teaching staff who were suspended or dismissed recently.

The agitators also condemned the arrest of their leader, Mr. C. H. Balamohanan who, along with a batch of office-bearers of the confederation and non teaching staff of the college were lodged in the central prison when they refused to come out on bail.

The Secondary Grade Teachers Association and associations of various wings of the employees extended support to the strike.

Police were deployed in strength in most of the areas. The staff including a large number of women employees participated in the demonstration held in the Bharathi Park. This is the second strike resorted to by the government employees here in the recent months.

Mr. Durai Arumugham, district secretary of the CITU, condemned the action taken against non-teaching staff and the arrest of 81 staff including office-bearers of the Confederation of the Associations of Government Employees. He said there should be no room for gagging the fundamental rights of workers.

All those arrested and remanded to custody should be released without condition. Those who were suspended or dismissed should be reinstaed by the college authorities. The CITU has proposed to hold a demonstration at the Central prison here.

Mr. S. Balasubramanian of the CPI (M.L) condemned the arrest of government staff and wanted unconditional release of all the staff. There should be also reinstatement of non-teaching staff by the college.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Union Minister's pat for citizens on I.T. payment
Next     : Exchanges over Jayalalitha remark