Unemployed linemen protest,gherao PWD Minister’s home

Facing strong resistance from police officials who stopped them from going near the minister’s home,the linemen continued their protest and raised slogans against the Akali government and POWERCOM.

Talking to Ludhiana Newsline,Soma Singh Bhro,chief advisor,Unemployed Linemen Union,Punjab,said,“On January 14,2011,the Punjab government issued an advertisement to recruit 5,000 linemen but even after the completion of counselling process of all 5,000 of us,only 1,000 were given appointment letters and the rest are unemployed. They have no right to snatch our bread and butter.”

The union had also staged a protest at the recently held Baisakhi political conference of government at Talwandi Sabo.

Soma Singh said the government was giving the excuse of the High Court ban on appointment of linemen but as per the verdict given by HC Justice Sikri on February 22,2013,there was no ban on appointment of linemen and thus the state government stood exposed. “They are simply not willing to appoint us,” he added.

He added that Dhillon’s home was gheraoed as per their plan to protest in front of homes of all Punjab MLAs and ministers and now a state-level meeting would be held in the next two days to decide further strategy.

“Yesterday Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal ordered Bathinda SSP to arrange our meeting with him. If the meeting does not happen,our statewide protests will continue till we get appointment letters,” Soma Singh said.

The PWD Minister assured linemen that he would personally talk to the CM to solve the issue.