The confrontation between the Haryana government and striking roadways employees over government’s decision to induct 700 private buses further intensified on Friday with the latter extending their strike for three more days till October 22.
Calling the government’s move a step towards privatisation, the employees had first gone on a two-day strike on October 16 but extended it for two more days after the government stated that the step was in employees’ and people’s interest and cracked a whip on the employees. In retaliation, the union on Friday announced to extend their strike for three more days.
Additional chief secretary (transport) Dhanpat Singh said that while the department could rope in about 3,000 buses from different institutions on Thursday, the demand lessened on Friday owing to Dussehra. On Friday, the department ran about 2,100 buses—700 roadways, 460 school buses and 1,050 from cooperative societies with drivers of different departments as well as police personnel or other persons as its conductors.
Singh, however, said that the Chandigarh depot remained worst hit as against the routine 80 roadways buses, it ran only two. Other hard-hit districts were Fatehabad, Jind, Kurukshetra and Kaithal.
In Rohtak, the administration roped in several school buses of private schools to compensate for the roadways buses that went off roads due to employees’ strike.
The authorities said the schools’ permission were sought before requesting them to allot their buses as they would be free during holidays for Dussehra. At many places, Haryana Police officials were asked to drive the Haryana Roadways buses.
In Karnal, striking roadways employees burnt the effigy of the chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
As many as 44 striking employees of Haryana roadways were arrested and 12, including union leaders Virender Singh, were sent to judicial custody, whereas 32 were granted bail.
The striking employees were also seen getting support from different political leaders. In Rohtak, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala met the striking employees, supported their demand and slammed the government for its failure to handle the issue. Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda attacked the government over strike and called it a big inconvenience to the public.
In Kurukshetra, the INLD state president Ashok Arora met the protesting employees and extended support to their demands.
He asked the government to resolve the issue to provide relief to the people.
On Friday evening, additional chief secretary of transport department Dhanpat Singh chaired a meeting to discuss possible scenario if the strike is pulled longer. On the other hand, office-bearers of HR workers' union held a meeting in Hisar to discuss future course of action.
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