A large number of Delhi Congress workers took out a Nyay March to the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and submitted a memorandum demanding payment of pending salaries of Covid Warriors in the MCDs and the Delhi government.
During its protest, the party demanded immediate payment of pending wages and salaries of station workers, ad hoc employees, gardeners, marshals, nurses and doctors.
Those who participated in the protest included Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president l Kumar, AICC in-charge of Delhi Shakti Singh Gohil, among others.
"The Delhi government should clear the pending salaries of the Corona Warriors of the MCDs and Delhi government, who have been on the forefront in fighting the pandemic," Kumar said.
Accusing the Delhi Government of holding their wages, he said, "Their wages have been held up as the Delhi government has not released funds for the same. This is not the time to play petty politics between the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP. Instead, they should join hands to clear the pending salaries of the COVID Warriors of the MCDs and the Delhi government."
"The Kejriwal government had also declared Rs 1 crore cash incentive to the family of a Corona Warrior who succumbs to the disease. The same amount should be given to the municipal workers as well, who succumb to the Coronavirus, by treating them as Corona Warriors. So far, over 20 station workers of the MCDs have lost their lives to the Coronavirus while on duty," he said.
While reminding the AAP government of its election promises, Kumar said, "Despite promises of regularisation during election time, station workers have been working on daily wages for the past 20 years, and these workers, along with home guards, Civil Defence personnel, marshals, teachers, DBC checkers and others working on a temporary basis should be regularised."
"The emergency allowance being paid to the Corona Warriors should be extended to the station and other frontline workers of the MCDs. New recruitment of station workers should be held to fill up the existing vacancies. Other demands are medical facilities to all the employees plus cashless cards, and the seniority of the MCD employees should be calculated from 2004, instead of 2013," Kumar said.
Pointing out that the COVID warriors must be encouraged, Gohil said, "COVID Warriors like station workers, doctors, nurses and others are the eyes, ears and limbs of the Delhi government and the MCDs. For the system in the governments to run smoothly, and for the fight against the Corona virus to succeed, they must be kept motivated. The salaries and allowances of the employees should be given on time to ensure their whole-hearted support in the united fight against the Covid-19 pandemic."
( With inputs from ANI )