Sarabjit Singh Bhangu
Patiala, 18 January
The state-wide dharna in front of the Powercom headquarters here continued for the second day today under the leadership of state president of PowerCom and Transco Contract Employees Union, Balihar Singh, to make other demands including regularization of services. Due to this, traffic was also affected in many markets including Mall Road.
It is worth mentioning that when the demand of the workers to hold a state level rally here on January 17 to regularize the services, restore the dismissed employees and release the salaries, the meeting with the authorities was not fulfilled, they asked Health Minister Dr. Plans were made to surround Balveer Singh’s house three kilometers away, but the police laid siege here. Due to the large number of protestors (around one thousand), they once attacked the police, but with the help of other police forces, the police laid siege here. But the police refrained from lathi charge due to the cold and the DSP Satnam Singh and other officers who were leading the police persuaded the protesters not to encircle them. Meanwhile, they also proposed a meeting with the higher officials on Monday, but then the workers got stuck and they promised to stay here till the meeting. During which they were busy in pitching tents etc till late night. But today, during the day, they made other arrangements to protect themselves from the cold and at the same time protested and raised slogans against the management and the government.