DA arrear protest: Trinamool Congress starts feeling the pinch from inside

Kolkata, Feb 21

West Bengal's ruling party Trinamool Congress has now started feeling the pinch of the increasing grievances among the state government employees over the non-payment of dearness allowances (DA) arrears in the state.

On one hand, Manoj Chakraborty, the founder president of Trinamool Congress-affiliated state government employees association has asked the government to come out with a white-paper on the matter and sought a meeting with all parties concerned on this count. On the other hand, there has been a flood of resignations from the teachers' cell of Trinamool Congress since the agitations over the non-payment of DA arrears have started.

According to Chakraborty, the state government should call a meeting with all related associations of the state government employees and the federation, and discuss the DA issue there.

"At the same time, the state government should come out with a white-paper explaining to what extent it could stretch itself in paying the DA arrears in the backdrop of the current health of the state exchequer," he said.

However, he is against the two-day pen-down strike started by the joint forum of state government employees demanding payment of DA arrears. "The matter is pending in the Supreme Court and it should be settled in a legal way only. Previously, the employees in the state-run power sector were also denied some of their dues. But they have started receiving them after an order from the court on this count," he said.

Till the time this report was filed there was no official comment from any Trinamool Congress leader on the observations made by Chakraborty on this count.

Chakraborty's observations on this count had started at a time when there had been a flood of resignations by the members of Trinamool Congress's teachers' cell severing ties with the unit. Till Tuesday morning a total 62 such members have resigned from the teachers' cell of the state's ruling party out of which 32 are from Bankura district and the remaining 30 are from Jalpaiguri district in north Bengal.

According to an office-bearer of the joint forum of state government employees, when the agitation on the DA arrears issue began 28 associations were part of the forum which today has increased to 38. "Our movement is justified and hence we are gaining strength day by day," he said.