CPI-M leaders slam Bengal govt over delay in implementing SC order on DA arrears
Kolkata, March 13 (IANS) CPI-M leaders on Friday criticised the West Bengal government over its inability to implement the Supreme Court order mandating the payment of 25 per cent of the DA arrears from 2008 to 2019 by March 31.
CPI-M leader and advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya termed it unfortunate that state government employees in West Bengal have to go on strike to secure the implementation of a Supreme Court judgement.
Speaking to IANS, he said, “A constitutional government should have immediately implemented the order of the highest constitutional body. But this West Bengal government is not going to do this; therefore, the employees have to go on strike.”
Various associations representing West Bengal government employees, consolidated under the collective organisation Sangrami Joutho Mancha (Joint Movement Forum), initiated a complete work stoppage on Friday to express their discontent over the alleged hesitation and inaction of the government regarding the disbursement of Dearness Allowance (DA).
However, the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government has already issued a notification making attendance mandatory for the employees concerned on Friday in order to avoid salary deductions, excluding those on leave with valid reasons.
Reacting to the notification, Bhattacharya said, “State government employees do not care about this threat. They have seen such threats many times before. They are more interested in ensuring the implementation of their legal right.”
Referring to the suspension of court proceedings, he said, “I am very sorry to say that court proceedings had to be suspended today because the employees were forced to go on strike to combat the apathy of the West Bengal government and its inability to implement the Supreme Court judgement.”
Bhattacharya further added: “If the government doesn’t implement the apex court’s judgement, will it at all care about the High Court’s order?”
CPI-M leader and advocate Sayan Banerjee told IANS, “This state government is very adamant and does not care about Supreme Court judgements, the tribunal’s decisions, or the High Court’s orders. It has a ‘don’t care’ attitude towards the judiciary.”
Banerjee asserted that the Supreme Court had held long back that DA is a right and that it should be cleared along with the arrears, including the pending 25 per cent portion.
“That amount has to be paid. For that reason they have called for a strike. To show support I have joined their protest march,” he added.
According to the Joint Movement Forum, the state government has given sufficient indications that it may disregard the Supreme Court ruling delivered last month, which mandated the payment of 25 per cent of the DA arrears from 2008 to 2019 by March 31.
Furthermore, the government was instructed to follow a step-by-step approach, as directed by the apex court, to ensure that DA payments to state employees are aligned with those of Central government staff, along with the arrears that have accumulated since 2008.
–IANS
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