DA Protest
Despite state's warning, Bengal govt employees associations observe strike over DA
Kolkata/IBNS: Despite the state administration's warning, members of various West Bengal government employee associations came together to observe a strike demanding an increase in the Dearness Allowance (DA) on Friday.
The Trinamool Congress government has warned the employees of break service and a one-day cut in the salary if they participate in the strike.
The strike has been called in all government offices, schools and colleges.
Security has been beefed up to avoid any untoward incident.
The entire opposition including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is opposed to strikes, has supported the bandh.
"We are opposed to strikes but considering this issue and the injustice the government employees are suffering, we are morally supporting the strike," said BJP state president Sukanta Majumder on Thursday.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee triggered a row saying, "Money doesn't fall from the skies. I have given 105 percent DA."
"I can reduce the debt only by stopping the pension. Do the opposition parties want the pension to be stopped?"
Banerjee's heavyweight minister Firhad Hakim had even termed giving DA to the state government employees as a "sin".
"We are not big corporate houses. We pay salaries through tax payers' money. Giving money to affluent people is a sin when the same amount can be utilised in the welfare of the poor."
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