Punjab Employees Protest Seeking Dearness Allowance, Police Use Water Cannon

Scores of government employees and pensioners on Friday held a massive protest at Sector 39 here to press the Punjab government to accept their demands, including release of pending dearness allowance.Police had erected barricades to prevent protesters from moving towards the Punjab Vidhan Sabha.Chandigarh Police used a water cannon to disperse protesting employees after they tried to head towards the Punjab Assembly.The protesters were carrying flags of their unions.The protest was held under the banner of Sanjha Mulazam and Pensioners Front and Sanjha Mulazam Manch Punjab with over several employees' organisations taking part from several parts of the state.The protesting employees have been demanding release of pending 18 per cent DA, implementation of Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and regularization of contractual employees.Protesting employees said despite repeated assurance, the state government failed to address their demands.Meanwhile, opposition parties slammed the AAP government for not accepting their demands.Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said it was these employees who voted for the AAP in Punjab."Today in 2026, the same employees are taking to the streets and saying 'We don't want this government'. What could be a bigger report card for the AAP government than this," Warring asked.Warring accused the Mann government of suppressing the voice of those who raise the same for their rights.Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal too criticised the state government for allegedly failing to accept demands of the employees."Those who ushered @AAPPunjab in with flowers, will now ensure its rout! Punjab's employees and pensioners have sent a clear and loud message to @BhagwantMann (that) you cannot ignore and do injustice with the people who actually run this state," Badal said in a post on X.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)