BATHINDA, Nov 5 — Ministerial staff of the Punjab government began a two-day pen-down and computer-shutdown strike across the state on Thursday, November 5, a day after members of their union burnt an effigy of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Bathinda in protest against their long-pending demands remaining unmet.

Source: Inshorts (ANI / The Tribune reports)

The Punjab State Ministerial Services Union said the strike would run on November 5 and 6. Under a pen-down and computer-shutdown action, clerical staff in government offices stay away from file work and official computer systems, which slows routine administrative work in the offices where the union's members are posted.

What the union is demanding

According to the reports, the union's demands include restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees, dearness allowance (DA) parity of 63 per cent with the Central Government, and implementation of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme. The Tribune's report on the strike announcement also listed clearance of pending dearness allowance, regularisation of contractual staff and timely payment of salaries among the employees' demands.

Union leaders have warned that the agitation could be extended if the government fails to address their demands, The Tribune reported. No response from the Punjab government to the strike call had been reported by either source at the time of publication.

DA is already a live fight in Punjab this week

Dearness allowance has been at the centre of a separate legal battle in Punjab in the same week: the Supreme Court has stayed criminal contempt proceedings against the state's Chief Secretary in the DA arrears case and asked the government for a payment plan. The employees' union is pressing its DA demand on the streets while that case proceeds in court.

The court battle over DA arrears in Punjab: Supreme Court stays contempt against Punjab Chief Secretary in DA case

What happens next: the strike is scheduled to continue through Friday, November 6. Whether the government opens talks with the union during the two days will decide if the agitation ends there or is extended, as the union has warned.