SP, BSP slam UP government decision on home guards

Opposition parties on Wednesday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over its decision to do away with 25,000 home guards, saying instead of providing employment, the BJP government is increasing "joblessness".

Amid criticism over the move, Home Guard Minister Chetan Chauhan had said on Tuesday night that, "No home guard will be removed. I have talked to officers of the police department and asked them not to remove anyone. They might reduce their working days."

Lashing out at the government, BSP supremo Mayawati said, "Why is the UP government punishing lakhs of family members of 25,000 home guards by removing them for its own wrong economic policies ? This would only lead to more anarchy in the state".

"Instead of giving more employment why is it increasing more joblessness? It would be better if the government pays proper attention to issues of public interest," Mayawati said in a tweet.

The Samajwadi Party accused the government of darkening the lives of 25,000 families.

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"Before Diwali, the chief minister is preparing for the festival by darkening the lives of 25,000 families. Extreme insensitivity ! Destructive government," Samajwadi Party said in a tweet.

Earlier in the day Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had attacked the Uttar Pradesh government over its decision to do away with 25,000 home guards and asked what sort of "craziness" has taken over the mind of the dispensation.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday announced that it was doing away with 25,000 home guards as the state could not afford the new allowances the Supreme Court has asked it to pay, only to reverse it hours later, saying no one would be removed.

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Officials said a large number of home guards were taken on in April. The Supreme Court order in July, however, meant a hike in the cost of deploying them.

The daily allowance for the home guards is now Rs 672, up from the Rs 500 before the court order.

The government said this would have cost the state an extra expenditure of Rs 10 to Rs 12 crore every month. It, therefore, decided not to deploy home guards meant for security at police stations and traffic signals.

The home guards are not permanent employees and are recruited on a casual basis. They do not have any fixed monthly salary and are paid based on the number of days of duty.

Till now they have been expected to work for 25 days but the government decreased it to 15 days.

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