Video: Punjab govt employees marching towards Assembly face water cannons
Police used water cannons against protesting Punjab government employees and pensioners who had gathered in large numbers at Chandigarh’s Sector 39’s Dana Mandi ground on
Police used water cannons against protesting Punjab government employees and pensioners who had gathered in large numbers at Chandigarh’s Sector 39’s Dana Mandi ground on Friday to press the state government to fulfill their long-pending demands, including the release of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears. The protest, which saw employees from several departments attempting to march towards the Punjab Legislative Assembly, was eventually called off after representatives of the Punjab government assured them that talks would be held on August 27 to discuss their demands. Read Full Story The demonstration was organised under the banner of the Sanjha Mulazam and Pensioners Front and the Sanjha Mulazam Manch Punjab, with participation from multiple employee organisations from across the state.
Protesters carrying union flags raised slogans against the government and accused it of repeatedly delaying decisions on issues affecting employees and pensioners. Police had erected barricades to prevent the march from proceeding towards the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Tension escalated when sections of the crowd attempted to breach the barricades, prompting the police to use water cannons to disperse them. After the government conveyed its willingness to hold a formal meeting later this month, union representatives announced that the protest would be withdrawn for the time being. The employees and pensioners said they expected the August 27 talks to result in concrete decisions on their pending issues. WHAT ARE EMPLOYEES’ DEMANDS? Release of the pending 18 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) instalments.
Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). Implementation of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme. Regularisation of contractual, outsourced and temporary employees. Resolution of pay-scale anomalies and restoration of certain allowances. Withdrawal of specific government notifications linked to service conditions and pay-scale orders. Other pending service-related benefits for employees and pensioners. Protest leaders alleged that despite repeated assurances from the state government, little progress had been made on these issues, forcing them to intensify their agitation. OPPOSITION ATTACKS MANN GOVT The protest also triggered political reactions. Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government and said, “Today in 2026, the same employees are taking to the streets and saying ‘We don’t want this government’.
The BriefWire