Seeking old pension plan, govt staffers gherao HP assembly

Seeking old pension plan, govt staffers gherao HP assembly

TNN | Mar 4, 2022, 04.05 AM IST

SHIMLA: Thousands of protesting state government employees, covered under the New Pension Scheme (NPS), gheraoed the state legislative assembly here on Thursday in support of their demand for the implementation of the old pension scheme. The police tried to stop the protester near 103 Tunnel and the near the assembly complex by using water canons and setting up barricades, but a large number of them managed to gherao the assembly.

Meanwhile, the issue was even raised inside the House and opposition Congress staged a walkout after the speaker turned down an adjournment notice to discuss it.

The protesters have made their intention clear of not leaving the protest site till their demand is met. They said if the chief minister fails to make an announcement regarding the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme in his budget speech on Friday they will devise further strategy after holding the meeting of their core committee.

Facing police batons, tear gas and water cannons, they first clashed with the police in Tutikandi, then at 103 Tunnel and then near the assembly complex. At 103 Tunnel, they broke barricades after a scuffle with cops to reach the assembly complex, where they breached more barricades, to stage a dharna at the main gate.

Shimla deputy commissioner Aditya Negi came with his administrative team to talk to the protesters, but failed to convince them. Later, DGP Sanjay Kundu tried to convince them, but failed. Then urban development minister and Shimla (Urban) MLA Suresh Bhardwaj tried to pacify the protesters but failed to make a headway. The protest was still going on outside the assembly at the time of filing this report.

In the winter session of the assembly held in Dharamsala in December last year, Swaran Samaj had held a massive dharna to demand the formation of Swaran Ayog. A similar situation has been created here now, with employees coming out on the roads for their demand of Old Pension Scheme. NPS Employees Federation is holding a sit-in outside the assembly in Shimla and insisting on talking to the chief minister.

Earlier in the day, the protesters, who had come from all over the state, gathered at Tutikandi, from where they started a foot march towards the assembly but were stopped by the police at the bypass. The administration had given them permission to hold a rally at Chaura Maidan, but no protester headed that way.

NPS Employees Federation leaders were very categoric that either the chief minister announce the restoration of old pension scheme or be prepared for porlonged protests as they will not leave Shimla “without old pension”.