PANJIM: The striking Goa Employment and Recruitment Union workers have refused to accept the oral assurance given by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar or even meet his emissaries. They have demanded a written assurance and desire that the chief minister himself come to Azad Maidan where seven of their colleagues have undertaken a fast unto death.
Despite a meeting with the chief minister and another with Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg, the workers who are on an indefinite dharna since October 2, refused to accept any oral assurances or even meet government designated representatives – Deputy Speaker Anant Shet and MLA Pramod Sawant – upping the ante in this potentially emotional and politically surcharged clash which is proving to be the first acid test for the new chief minister.
Police on the other hand were preparing to take preventive steps including issuing notices under section 149 to the leaders in preparation to shift the hunger strikers to hospital and the others to jail.
After a meeting with members of the agitating security guards, the chief minister told media persons that he had assured the workers that they would be absorbed under the new Goa Human Resource Development Corporation (GHRDC) and that their unpaid salaries and arrears would be paid by December end. They were also orally assured that there would be age relaxation till 45 years while applying for GHRDC advertised posts and that those above 35 need not go for training.
However, the over thousand workers, who are on the 11th day of their indefinite hunger strike dug their heels in and refused to heed oral assurances. They instead want the chief minister to come and meet them and give a written assurance, taking the conflict among some who are mostly BJP supporters and the new BJP led government to a new level.
These workers were employed under Goa Employment and Recruitment Society (GERS) formed by then BJP government in 2001. Till date there are some 1300 odd workers who are still not absorbed in regular government service. The under pressure BJP has been trying to diffuse the situation and is holding meetings with workers. On Friday representatives first met Garg and then met the chief minister. According to the BJP they had released advertisements for recruitment under the human resource Corporation with nearly 600 vacancies being advertised. However, only 270 people had applied. The BJP has also countered the workers’ claim that they had been employed for the past 10 to 12 years, saying that out of the total 1252 workers, only 144 have been employed for the past five years, while another 559 are serving between two to four years and another 549 had completed just one year.
It also criticized the Congress party saying that its government, had in 2006, directed all the government departments to scrap the contract signed with the GERS employees.
