Punjab invokes ESMA to quell revenue workers' strike; won't yield to blackmail, says Mann

The Bhagwant Singh government in Punjab has invoked ESMA, the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, in the state to end a 'pen-down' strike by officials and staff. The revenue department mandated that all revenue officials and deputy commissioner office employees must remain stationed at their posts until October 31, or until further notification. Breach of this order would invoke the rigorous penalties outlined in the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act (ESMA). The ESMA was invoked after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directed the finance commissioner (revenue) to take action against the strike.  

Nearly 2,000 employees of the revenue deparment, led by the Revenue Patwar Union and the Revenue Kanungo Association, are on strike in protest against the lodging of a corruption case against a 'patwari' and a 'kanungo' in Sangrur district.  In tandem, the DC Office Employees' Association declared a pen-down strike from September 11 to September 13, pressing for diverse demands.

'Many educated unemployed people ready to hold your pens': Mann

Bhagwant Mann, reacting to the strike, has said the state government will decide "whether to give them their pens back or not." "I want to tell you that they are free to go ahead with a pen-down strike, but the state government will later decide whether to give them their pens back or not. We have many educated unemployed people who are ready to hold your pens. The people of Punjab will not be allowed to suffer," Mann said in a social media post in Punjabi.    

Later, Mann released a statement, urging employees not to support colleagues facing corruption charges or pursuing personal interests. He reinforced the government's steadfast commitment to eradicating corruption.The revenue department's ensuing order underscored the essential roles of officials including Patwaris, Kanungos, and circle revenue officers in maintainingflow of relief material, disbursing crop compensation, addressing flood-related challenges, and upholding public order.

'Administration won't yield to blackmail'

The invoking of sub-section (1) of section 4 of the East Punjab Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1947, legally binds these officials to their posts until October 31 or further instruction. Speaking at an event in Amritsar, Mann emphasised that such employee actions would not be tolerated. He asserted that his administration would not yield to "blackmail," especially when it concerns individuals facing corruption charges.

The Revenue Patwar Union and the Revenue Kanungo Association contended that their colleague was falsely implicated and demanded the withdrawal of the FIR. Conversely, the DC Office Employees' Association, representing around 3,500 employees, pressed for promotions to superintendent grade-2 and senior assistant positions.

In response to the chief minister's warning, Tejinder Singh Nangal, President of the DC Office Employees' Association, declared, "We are not scared of such threats. We have been raising our demand for promotions for over two years. We will strike for our constitutional rights."The association stressed that nearly 50 superintendent grade-2 posts and 130 senior assistant positions have remained vacant because promotions did not take place over the last two years.

(With inputs from PTI)