Striking staff to be video-filmed
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Dec 10 — Besides marking attendance every two hours, the government has advised Deputy Commissioners to videofilm employees who participate in the strike tomorrow. The call for the strike has been given by the Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh and the Jan Sangathan Manch, Haryana unit.

The district authorities have also been told to ensure maintenance of essential services like water supply, power supply and bus services. "The main concentration of the administration will be on uninterrupted supply of water and power and plying of Roadways buses tomorrow", the Deputy Commissioner, Rohtak, told TNS.

According to the Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar, Mr Arun Kumar, the police has been deployed at vital installations to prevent damage or sabotage, of essential services. The district has been divided into 14 zones each under the supervision of Executive Magistrate.

The employee leaders, who were arrested here yesterday, have decided to observe a 24-hour fast tomorrow in support of the strike. In a signed statement issued from jail, these leaders condemned the arrest of its activists.

Though, the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh is not participating in the strike, its leaders have condemned the arrest of the Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh leaders and activists and invoking of ESMA to foil the strike. Mr S.D. Kapoor and Mr M.L. Sehgal, president and general secretary, respectively, of the Mahasangh today charged the government with adopting "undemocratic and unconstitutional methods to terrorise the employees.

They said all employee unions in the state would soon constitute a common forum and launch a "decisive battle" against the government to seek redressal of their demands. They advised the government to refrain from the path of confrontation and take the initiative for inviting the employee leaders for a negotiated settlement of their demands.

HISAR: The district administration on Thursday continued surprise raids on various places detaining hundreds of employee leaders in connection with the nation-wide strike called for Friday. Various employees organisations have criticised the state government for its "dictatorial" approach in dealing with an "absolutely democratic method of protest".

A spokesman of the Sarv Karamchari Sangh claimed that thousands of employees had been detained by the government across the state. He criticised the Chief Minister, saying he had made it a prestige issue to scuttle the strike. The spokesman claimed "despite the dictatorial and despotic ways of the government, the strike would be a success".

The Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh, which so far has not declared its support for the strike came heavily on the government. A joint statement issued by several leaders of the Mahasangh condemned the government for its "brutal ways" to crush the "democratic voice" of the employees.

They pointed out that although the central government employees and those from the banking and insurance sector were also to participate in the strike, the central government had not resorted to any such methods as adopted by the Haryana Government.

The leaders accused the Chief Minister of deliberately provoking the employees to go for a strike by his "dictatorial ways". They pointed out that the administration had let loose a reign of terror against the employees. The employee leaders also criticised the BJP for being party to the Chief Minister's "dictatorial policies".

The Haryana Nurses Association leader, Mrs Jasbir Kaur, criticised the government for using "brutal force" against the employees. She had managed to give the slip to the police on Wednesday.

The Haryana State Electricity Board Employees Union has also supported tomorrow's strike call. In a statement here, the vice-president, Mr Jagdish Sharma alleged that hundreds of activists of the union had been detained.

The administration here has made all arrangements to ensure peace. The Superintendent of Police, Hisar, Mr Manjit Ahalawat, told TNS that special police patrol parties had been deployed at sensitive sites to prevent any untoward incident.

AMBALA: Five employees of different departments have been rounded up in the district in view of the strike call. Three of the employees are from the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam, one from the Postal Department and one from the Life Insurance Corporation.

PANCHKULA: For maintaining law and order, over 450 policemen have been deployed at strategic installations, government offices and public places. Special measures have been taken to ensure uninterrupted essential services.

As a preventive measure, the administration has prohibited the assembly of five or more persons and taking out of processions within the limits of the district till December 12.

The Deputy Commissioner, Ms Saroj Siwach, has invoked Section 144 of the Cr.P.C, banning the carrying of weapons within the limits of the district. Gram panchayats have been asked to undertake patrols to safeguard power installations and the section of the Kalka-Ambala rail track passing through the district.

The Sub-divisional Officers (SDO) of Kalka and Panchkula and Block Development and Panchayat Officers at Pinjore, Raipur Rani, Barwala, Morni and Kalka have been directed to ensure patrolling by the village panchayats.