Election-bound Talwandi Sabo sees several demonstrations
Saturday, 09/08/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140809/punjab.htm#6
Talwandi Sabo : With top politicians camping in Talwandi Sabo in connection with the forthcoming Assembly byelection, the place has become a favourite of protesters as it allows them a chance of airing their grievances right into the ears of the persons who matter. Holding a protest at Talwandi Sabo comes with another added advantage - greater media attention.
No wonder then, PRTC employees, members of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) workers' unions, ETT Teachers and farmers have been holding protests in support of their demands at Talwandi Sabo these days.
However, Talwandi Sabo residents are facing difficulties due to these protests. Unruly scenes are often witnessed whenever the police try to round up or disperse the protesters.
Today, some protesting nurses fell unconscious near the old bus stand. They were taken to the Civil Hospital for treatment while others were arrested. Congress leaders, including PPCC chief Partap Bajwa and party candidate Harminder Jassi, criticised the police action against protesting nurses.
The protesting teachers, nurses and PRTC workers have been camping in the city for the past one week to lodge their protest against non-acceptance of their demands.
Such protests are, however, not going down well with SAD-BJP leaders. Heavy police force has been deployed in the area to keep protesters under check. The police thwarted a protest march by unemployed ETT teachers, PRTC workers and rounded up over 100 nurses.
Members of the National Rural Health Mission Employees Association and the Contract Multipurpose Health Workers (Female) Union raised slogans against the state government at the old bus stand today.
The agitators were rounded up and taken to various police stations and cases registered against them. Besides nurses, fresh cases were also slapped against PRTC workers.
"We decided to take out a protest march in the city holding black flags. The police tried to stop us, leading to a chaos," said Navneet Kaur, state president of the National Rural Health Mission Employees Association.
Ninder Kaur, state president of the Contract Multipurpose Health Worker Union, said they were protesting against the delaying tactics of the state government in regularising NRHM workers. "While states like Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have amended their policies to provide better perks to our counterparts there, nothing has been done by the Punjab Government," she said. The protesters said the state government had even failed to implement its own notification regularising 1,151 ANM nurses. Bathinda SSP Gurpreet Bhullar said protests could not be allowed in the area in view of the election code of conduct. "Yesterday, three policemen were hurt after being hit by stones hurled by protesters. We have registered cases against some protesters," he said.
AAP asks Takht to take note of lathi charge
Bathinda: The Punjab State Organising Committee of the Aam Admi Party(AAP), today condemned the police lathi charge on protesting PRTC employees at Talwandi Sabo. It said the state government had taken recourse to "brutal repression." The party appealed to the Akal Takht Jathedar to take serious notice of the police action against the protesters inside the premises of Takht Damdama Sahib and asked the government to sack the erring officials immediately. Prof Manjit Singh said four employees had suffered serious injuries.
