Striking Rajasthan government staff warn of 'strong decision'

With the latest parleys between the Rajasthan government and its striking employees failing to break the deadlock, an employees' leader on Friday warned of "strong decision" in the coming days in case their demands were ignored.

"... if the government ignores the striking staff, we shall take a strong decision by October 8 or 9, Rajasthan Rajya Mantralayik Karamchari Mahasangh President Manoj Saxena said on Friday.

Asked what will be their stand if the code of conduct comes into effect due to the impending Assembly elections and the state fails to meet their demands, he said: "Over one lakh employees are staging the strike, directly representing 30-40 lakh voters. The government can't ignore them...." 

Over one lakh state ministerial employees from 132 departments are on strike in support of their demands since September 20, leaving the state machinery in a shambles and causing unnecessary inconvenience to the general public.

The striking employees now plan to march to Ajmer to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visits the city on October 6 so as to apprise him of their demands through a memorandum.

Saxena told IANS that his association had written to Ajmer Collector Aarti Dogra on Friday to schedule a meeting of association representatives with Modi. 

The government had invited representatives on Wednesday evening for a meeting to discuss their demands, where Ministers Rajpal Singh Shekhawat, Yunus Khan and Babulal Verma, Chief Secretary D.B. Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary Mukesh Sharma were present. However, the talks failed to end the stalemate, Saxena said.- IANS