Chandigarh: The Sanjha Mulazim Manch, representing Punjab government employees, has approached Governor Gulab Chand Kataria seeking action against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his alleged absence from a scheduled meeting with employee representatives on August 27.
The organisation has demanded that one day’s salary be deducted from the chief minister’s pay for not attending the meeting.
In a memorandum submitted to the governor, the employees accused the chief minister of “negligence towards official duties, administrative arbitrariness and wastage of public money.”
According to the organisation, the Punjab government had officially scheduled a meeting between Mann and employee representatives at the PAP grounds in Jalandhar on August 27 to discuss their long-pending demands. The meeting had been fixed through an official notice issued on August 8.
The employees alleged that the chief minister did not attend the meeting and that no prior information, concrete reason or official communication about his absence was provided to them.
Employees allege wastage of public money
The memorandum claimed that thousands of employees and pensioners had travelled to Jalandhar from different parts of Punjab expecting the meeting to take place.
The organisation also alleged that significant public funds were spent on security arrangements, administrative preparations and traffic management for the meeting, which was ultimately cancelled.
The employees argued that rules and discipline should apply equally to those holding the highest positions in government.
“If rules and discipline apply to employees at the lower levels, those occupying the highest positions in the government cannot be exempt from them,” the organisation said in its memorandum.
The Sanjha Mulazim Manch has urged Governor Kataria to take immediate action over the matter.
