Team Herald
PANJIM: Stating that his government is sensitive towards contract workers employed in various sectors, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Saturday stated that agitations and moves to take government for granted, would not solve the problem of regularization of service.
Parsekar, referring to the ongoing 15-day long hunger strike by retrenched workers of Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs (DSYA), slammed political opponents and union leaders for trying to instigate people against the government.
“These striking workers were appointed by the Sports Department in 2011 on temporary basis. Temporary is temporary. Government is sensitive towards such workers and the procedure to regularize the services of various contract workers is in process,” Parsekar said after laying the foundation stone for the reconstruction of 108-year old Shree Mahalaxmi Library.
“Just because a few are striking does not mean we have to regularize their service on priority by ignoring others, who have been in service more than 6-7 years on contract basis in the same department,” he commented. “I would reiterate that agitations will not solve the issue. You cannot take government for granted every time,” the Chief Minister said.
Several workers, who were appointed on daily wage during the Congress tenure in 2011, are on strike demanding that the BJP-led government – that rendered them jobless of the past 21 months – take them back. The workers accused the government of empty promises to re-induct them.
Parsekar said that being election year, many leaders wanting to become either MLAs or Minister are instigating the people against the government. “But I don’t think people of Goa are fools,” he stated.
