DA crisis: Joint forum to hold protest meeting near Mamata's house next month

Kolkata, April 26 The joint forum of state government employees, which is spearheading the movement against non-payment of dearness allowance (DA) at par with the Central government employees and the arrears on this count by the West Bengal government, will hold a protest meeting next month near the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in South Kolkata.

The protest meeting is scheduled for May 6, the day the sit-in agitation by the joint forum at the base of Shahid Minar in Ccentral Kolkata will complete its 100th day. The protesters will take out a rally on that day which will culminate near the Hazra crossing, which is less than a kilometre from the Banerjee's residence in Kalighat.

The venue comes under the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency represented by the Chief Minister.

However, there is doubt among the joint forum office-bearers as to whether they will get police permission to hold the protest meeting on May 6 near Hazra crossing.

According to Bhaskar Ghosh, convenor of the joint forum, several meetings have been held at Hazra crossing in the past.

"Hence, there is no reason for the police to deny us permission. If permission is denied, we will approach the Calcutta High Court. Besides payment of enhanced DA and clearing the arrears, our other demands include filling up of the vacant posts, transparent process in recruitment, and regularisation of the contractual state government employees," Ghosh said.

On May 4, the West Bengal State Coordination Committee, the CPI(M) trade union body of the state government employees, will hold a 'March to State Secretariat' agitation.

The leadership of the joint forum of state government employees has also been invited to take part in the agitation on May 4.

Before the May 4 agitation, the committee will take out bike rallies in different districts to register its protest.

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