New Delhi, May 29
Manish Kumar’s supposedly permanent job lasted barely nine months. Pyara Singh was more fortunate, it lasted a few years. And like them there are 106 others who have lost their “permanent jobs”, owing to an order that sought their “immediate dismissal” without citing any reason.
Incidentally, these 108 persons, who had been working on various positions at various places and dismissed for over a year, are all physically challenged. “We received dismissal orders, but no explanation. All we know is that we have been dismissed owing to some order issued by the higher-ups”, states H.S. Sodhi, who worked as a BDPO.
With no monetary compensation or a job in sight, most of these dismissed employees have a sorry story to tell. “From the time we were dismissed in August, 2002, we have been petitioning governments and bureaucrats. There has been no relief. All our service benefits, including a pension and provident fund, have been denied to us and we have been left to fend for ourselves”, says Pyara Singh.
It was pointed out that the Punjab Government terminated the services of these 108 persons who worked as water carriers, peons, beldars and clerks without any prior notice. “Government officials who earlier even refused to meet us later assured us that we would be reinstated after the Lok Sabha poll, but no such step has been taken so far”, said Mr Sodhi.
With no reasons having been cited for their dismissal, they complain that while there are no private openings, even jobs requiring physical labour are out of bounds for them. “Being physically challenged, we cannot even undertake work as a labourer”, said Mr Sodhi.
While most are dependent on their families some have had to take shelter in gurdwara, where two square meals a day are assured. “Even to come to Delhi to plead our case we have had to pool in money. For the past two days, we have been camping in Bangla Saheb Gurdwara”, pointed out Mr Sodhi.
With countless petitions to the authorities having failed to show results, they are now pinning their hopes on Sonia Gandhi.
Alleging discrimination, Mr Sodhi said: “The selections were made as per the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court against permanent vacancies. The government reinstated 909 panchayat secretaries who were dismissed around the same time, like us, before the Lok Sabha poll.”
