Haryana invokes ESMA
Employee leaders arrested
From Tribune Reporters

ROHTAK, Sept 14 — The state government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act in view of the proposed statewide strike by employees on September 16. Pronouncing the strike as illegal, the government has warned the employees that departmental action would be taken against those who take part in the strike.

Meanwhile, toughening its stand the government has started arresting top leaders of the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh.

According to information received here, the police has arrested at least 50 employee leaders so far from Rohtak, Narayangarh, Ambala, Pehowa, Pundri and Fatehabad. Mr Narendra Malik, president of the district unit of the Haryana State Electricity Board Workers Union, was arrested from his house late last night. However, Mr Dhara Singh, general secretary of the union, who was with Mr Malik till late in the night, escaped.

In view of the call for "chakka jam" and disruption of power and water services, the government has appealed to the people to hand over the "miscreants" who were found disrupting the power and water supply or vehicular traffic to the police.

Meanwhile, Mr Dhara Singh, in a telephonic conversation, claimed the employees were enthusiastic about the strike. On the other hand, he said the embarrassment and perplexity of the government was obvious.

The mahasangh has installed five control rooms at various places to make the strike a success. Four of these control rooms are reportedly located in the state while one is situated outside the state.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has condemned the "undemocratic" steps taken by the government to curb the proposed strike. Mr Inderjit Singh, secretary of the state unit of the CPM, said the crisis should be resolved through negotiations with the employees. He demanded the immediate release of the arrested employee leaders.

FARIDABAD: The police has arrested as many as 10 leaders of the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh as a preventive measure in view of the statewide call for strike on September 16. A number of other leaders of the employees have also gone underground.

Mr S.D. Kapoor and Mr Vir Singh, employee leaders, have urged the employees to participate in the strike in large numbers. They have denied the government's claim that Central pay scales had been given to them in toto. The strike will be peaceful and there is no intention to disrupt water and electricity supply, they have said.

Meanwhile, the district administration on Monday imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Cr PC till September 18. It also directed panchayats to undertake "thikri pehra" in order to prevent any damage to public property.

REWARI: Mr Jai Pal Singh, president, and Mr Ram Niwas Yadav, Mr Ram Niwas, Mr Bijender Singh, Mr Mahabir Singh, Mr Mir Singh, Mr Bansi Lal and Mr Tek Chand Jain, all office-bearers of the Rewari district unit of the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh, were arrested from their houses in the early hours of the morning on Monday.