Sanitation workers have called off strike after talks with govt: Cheema

Chandigarh: Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday claimed that sanitation workers across various Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), municipal councils, municipal committees and nagar panchayats in Punjab have decided to withdraw their ongoing strike after talks with the Punjab govt. It was decided to form a committee to resolve pending demands of sanitation workers within one month.After a meeting with representatives of sanitation workers' unions, Cheema told media persons, "A five-member delegation from the workers' 35-member committee held detailed discussions with cabinet minister Harjot Singh Bains, govt officials and me regarding the workers' demands."He added, "Several demands were resolved during the discussions, while some issues linked to legal and election code-related matters require further procedural consideration. The govt and union representatives mutually agreed to form a committee that would examine all pending demands and work towards a permanent and practical solution."The minister said, "The govt has fixed a one-month timeline to sympathetically consider and resolve the remaining issues. After detailed discussions over the last two to three days, all unions agreed to give the govt time to address their concerns in a serious and structured manner."Responding to media queries regarding Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu calling chief minister Bhagwant Mann an "ISI agent," Cheema strongly condemned the statement and termed it an insult to the people of Punjab and their mandate. He said, "This is not just an insult to the chief minister but to all 3 crore Punjabis. The BJP has consistently displayed an anti-Punjab mindset." He questioned why BJP leaders remained silent during the previous Congress govt, when allegations were repeatedly made against then chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh.Every citizen has right to form political party Replying to another media query regarding ‘Cockroach Janta Party,' Cheema said, "Democracy and the Constitution of India give every citizen the right to form a political party and express their views freely. If young people, students or social groups are raising issues concerning society, they should not be targeted or mocked. Every individual has the constitutional right to express opinions and participate in democratic politics. Suppressing voices and labelling people unfairly is against democratic values." Cheema further said that under the BJP govt, attempts were being made to silence dissenting voices and restrict democratic expression in the country.