Chandigarh, April 29
BJP state president Sunil Jakhar said that if Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is truly serious, he should make a firm announcement during the special Assembly session on May 1 to release the pending installments of DA and clear all arrears for Punjab government employees. He said that a government which has provided only 29 days of employment under MGNREGA instead of the mandated 100 days has no right to speak about workers’ welfare. He further alleged that the real intent behind this session is to pass a confidence motion so that the government can secure a six-month window, as no no-confidence motion can be brought in the Assembly during that period once such a motion is passed.
In a message addressed to the Chief Minister on social media, Jakhar wrote, “Bhagwant Mann ji, merely convening a special Assembly session on May 1 is not enough. If you are truly serious, then in line with the spirit of Labour Day and the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, announce ₹15,000 crore for the payment of DA installments and pending dues of Punjab employees, guarantee payment by June 30, and clearly state that no appeal will be filed against this decision—otherwise, this will be nothing more than a drama to save your already fragmenting party.”
The BJP leader said that the Aam Aadmi Party government has been consistently misleading people in the name of special sessions. He alleged that the government is staging new political dramas daily to divert attention from real issues. He added that although the government is calling a special session on Labour Day, its actual objective is merely to keep its weakening party united.
Jakhar further said that while the government will spend heavily on publicity through this session, its employees have been waiting for DA payments for a long time. Construction workers are not receiving their due benefits on time, and the condition of farm laborers remains distressing. He concluded by saying that it would be better if the government releases the pending dues of employees without any delay.
