2 States, One Story: Job seekers Baton-charged in Bengal; Contractual Workers Dragged in Punjab | Watch

In West Bengal, police allegedly baton-charged people for not standing in queue to submit forms for jobs in Murshidabad district. In Punjab's Bathinda, a scuffle broke out between police personnel and contractual workers while they protesting to demand regularisation of jobs.

New Delhi: In two separate incidents in West Bengal and Punjab, police personnel was seen engaged in scuffle with public and control protests related to job concerns. Both states were seen battling the same issue – the job concern. In West Bengal, police allegedly baton-charged people for not standing in queue to submit forms for jobs in Murshidabad district. In a video released by news agency ANI, the police officials resorted to baton charge against the youth who had gathered at the Berhampore Stadium in Murshidabad district to submit job-related forms.

#WATCH | West Bengal | Police baton-charge on youth who were not standing in a queue to submit forms for jobs in the Berhampore Stadium of Murshidabad district pic.twitter.com/AEuCvyPayA

— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2021

Following the incident, a political row erupted in West Bengal where BJP and Congress slammed Mamata Banerjee-led government in the state. Taking a dig at West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, BJP leader Priti Gandhi tweeted,”West Bengal Police baton-charge on youth for not standing in a queue to submit forms for jobs in the Berhampore Stadium of Murshidabad district. And she nurses the ambition to rule our entire nation!!.”

West Bengal Police baton-charge on youth for not standing in a queue to submit forms for jobs in the Berhampore Stadium of Murshidabad district.

And she nurses the ambition to rule our entire nation!! pic.twitter.com/ySjtPzTBgN

— Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) December 4, 2021

Meanwhile, Congress leader BP Singh called out TMC-led government and said “unemployment” was at its “peak” in West Bengal. “Unemployment is at peak in West Bengal. Millions of Educated youth are struggling as Mamta Banerjee led TMC Govt has failed them miserably. Visuals from Murshidabad,” Singh said in a tweet.

Unemployment is at peak in West Bengal. Millions of Educated youth are struggling as Mamta Banerjee led TMC Govt has failed them miserably.

Visuals from Murshidabad. pic.twitter.com/Vk5MDtdUS2

— B.P. Singh (@BPSinghINC_) December 4, 2021

Scuffle breaks out between cops, contractual workers in Punjab

A scuffle broke out between Punjab Police and contractual workers who were on their way to gherao state’s finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal in Bathinda on Saturday. The contractual workers held protests in Bathinda and demanded regularisation of jobs. In a video released by ANI, the police officials were seen removing the contractual workers while dragging them out of the spot.

#WATCH | Punjab Police remove contractual employees from the spot while they were going to gherao state's finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal in Bathinda pic.twitter.com/Vv54Xnj2aA

— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2021

“The present government promised us that it would regularize our jobs and provide us with livelihood. However, nobody has paid heed to our demands and they are still unfulfilled. We are warning the government that the protests would continue until our demands are fulfilled. In the protest, there are contractual employees of all the departments of Punjab,” Gurlal Singh, a protestor and a contractual employee, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The contractual employees of Punjab roadways have been staging protests for months over job regularisation. The protesters claimed that former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh promised them job regularisation in twenty days. However, Amarinder Singh resigned and Charanjit Singh Channi took over as the chief minister. They said CM Channi promised them the same but their demands have not yet been fulfilled.

In another incident on Saturday, police removed protesting outsourced Covid warriors from a Patiala highway, which they had allegedly blocked to demand regularisation of their jobs. The protesters had been staging a dharna on the highway near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala since Friday.

The Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in Punjab criticised the police action, saying they were “brutalised” for demanding their just rights. “The entire nation witnessed sacrifices of women Covid warriors. They worked 24/7 saving lives & managed their households too,” SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal tweeted. “It’s atrocious that they are brutalised for demanding their just rights. If you@CharanjitChanni can’t resolve Pbis’ issues, you’ve no right to continue as CM,” Badal said.

Entire nation witnessed sacrifices of women Covid warriors. They worked 24/7 saving lives & managed their households too. It's atrocious that they're brutalised for demanding their just rights. If you @CHARANJITCHANNI can't resolve Pbis' issues, you've no right to continue as CM. pic.twitter.com/EwVAXL5z39

— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) December 4, 2021

Last month, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal joined the protest of contractual teachers in Punjab’s Mohali. The teachers had then protested while demanding for the regularisation of their employment.