Satyapal Rajput, Raipur. Today is the 16th day of the indefinite strike of the forest department employees. Thousands of protesters under the banner of Chhattisgarh Daily Wage Forest Employees Union are continuing their protest even on the day of Krishna Janmashtami. During this, the employees are celebrating Krishna Janmashtami at the protest site itself. The employees prayed to Lord Krishna by singing bhajans and kirtans for the fulfillment of their demands from the government. Along with this, the protesters organized a Matki Phod at the protest site itself, in which both men and women broke the pots. Thousands of employees were seen dancing to the Krishna bhajans and Chhohar songs of the bhajan group.
Provincial President Ram Kumar Sinha, who is leading the protest, said that the employees are demanding regularization, permanentization and implementation of contingency fund service. Apart from this, their nine-point demand letter includes the demand of stopping direct recruitment, adjustment of daily wage earners in vacant posts, payment of 8-9 months’ salary and immediate payment of Rs 4 thousand as Shramik Samman Rashi. Apart from this, equal pay for equal work has also been demanded.
Ram Kumar Sinha also objected to the violation of rules and said that 24-hour duty is being imposed in the depot, which is against the rules.
