Bathinda, August 26: Employees at the Civil Hospital in Bathinda, Punjab, staged a protest today over their long-standing demands. Key issues include equal pay for equal work, salary increases, gratuity, and the regularization of temporary staff.
The protesters also supported the closure of Aam Aadmi Clinics in Bathinda district, claiming these facilities lack adequate resources. They accused the government of failing to fulfill its promise to regularize the staff working there. Employees from various departments of the Civil Hospital participated in the demonstration.
Ranjit Kaur, a female protester, stated, “I have been working here for 18 years. None of our demands have been met. If our requests are not addressed, we will take to the streets.” She expressed frustration that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann only offered assurances that their demands would be met, yet after four and a half years, no action has been taken.
NHM employee Avneesh Kumar highlighted that they have five to seven major demands that have been pending for years. He accused the government of failing to deliver on its promises made when Bhagwant Mann’s Aam Aadmi Party took office in 2022, including the regularization of temporary staff. “We are protesting for our rights, and the administration should listen to us. However, employees are being intimidated and told to ‘end the strike and return to work,’” he said.
Other employees claimed that promises made during elections remain unfulfilled. The government had pledged to provide equal pay for equal work and to regularize unskilled workers, but these commitments have yet to be honored.
Protesters noted that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has not provided any concrete response to their demands. According to the employees, they have been consistently protesting. The demonstration on Wednesday included unskilled workers from various departments of the Civil Hospital.
Staff working at the Aam Aadmi Clinics stated that while the current government has opened clinics in rural areas, they lack sufficient facilities, causing numerous challenges for both employees and patients.
The protesters warned that if their demands are not addressed promptly, they will escalate their movement.
Leave a Comment