Under the banner of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) Implementation Sangharash Committee (OPSISC), government employees from across the state today organised a maharally in Dirba, the constituency of Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema.
The protesters threatened to intensify their agitation if “the government failed to implement the OPS”.
The employees alleged that the government had on November 18 last issued a notification and said that the OPS would be implemented soon. A five-member committee was formed in January to study the implementation of OPS in other states.
“However, until now, the authorities have neither prepared the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for OPS nor taken any other action to implement it. The national convener of OPS Implementation Sanyukt Manch, Shiv Gopal Mishra, today said a call for national-level strike of government employees had been given on November 21 and 22 for OPS implementation,” said Jasvir Singh Talwara, the state convener of OPSISC at Dirba.
During the rally, employees alleged that AAP leaders were making false claims about the implementation of OPS in Punjab. They also announced the launch of an online campaign to expose the false claims.
“Many people have already started exposing AAP claims on social media. The party’s leaders must understand that they have only issued a notification and are yet to implement it,” said Gurbhajan Singh, a protester.
Employees from Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur, Moga, Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Nawanshahr, Pathankot, Muktsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Kapurthala, Barnala, Sangrur, Mansa, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Faridkot, Malerkotla, Bathinda, Mohali and other districts participated in the rally.
After being promised a meeting with state Finance Minister Harpal Cheema on October 17, the employees ended their rally.
