As reported earlier in these columns, Uttar Pradesh cooperative employees held a big demonstration before the BJP headquarters in Lucknow voicing their demands. The protest caught the attention of TV media big time.
They were protesting against their not getting salaries for many years. The protesters said they were not being heard and the concerned authorities were not willing to concede their demands.
The police had to resort to lathi-charge with a view to control the irate demonstrators. Some of the demonstrators were injured in the melee. It is reported that when the employees were going to do gherao the Legislative Assembly, the police tried to stop them by putting barricades.
Uttar Pradesh Sahakari Karamchari Sangh had given a call for the protest.
It bears recall that on 29th October the employees had held protest meetings in all the districts of the state and handed over their charter of demands to the DMs of respective districts.
Cooperative employees said that the wrong policies being pursued by the state government are wholly responsible for the present crisis. “We employees are facing serious financial problems and govt remains unconcerned”, they complained. One of their main demands is that they should be paid their salary on time.
The employees are also angry about being denied insurance cover as this would reduce them to penury. One of their demands also relates to extension of their retirement age by two years.
The employees are associated with different associations like PACCs Sacheev Welfare Society, Sadhan Samati Sachiv Parishad, Uttar Pradesh Sahakari Samiti Karamchari Sangh and others.
