Anti-reservation employees intensify stir

LUCKNOW: Intensifying their stir after Rajya Sabha passed the constitutional amendment bill for reservation in promotions, state government employees opposing the move today staged protests before residences of Congress, BJP and BSP leaders here.

Anti-reservation employees shouted slogans in front of the state BJP headquarters and tore saffron banners to vent their ire against the move.

Striking employees also staged protests before the houses of Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi, BJP's Lalji Tandon and BSP's Satish Misra and shouted slogans.

There are reports of agitationists throwing black ink at the house of Tandon.

Today is the sixth day of the indefinite strike by the employees under the banner of Sarvjan Hitai Sanrakshan Samiti.

Taking out protest marches from their respective offices in the morning, they later held a "virodh sabha" at the GPO park.

"This bill is not in favour of the nation and nearly 18 lakh employees are on strike to oppose it and we will continue it till our demand is not met," president of Sarvjan Hitay Sanrakshan Samiti Shailendra Dubey said.

There is immense anger among the people and the political parties are failing to assess the situation and are only busy in politics, he said.

Pro-reservation staff, however, is working for extra hours in order to ensure smooth functioning in the government offices.

"The Araskshan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti has decided that in case of strike its members would continue to work for extra four hours," its convenor Awadhesh Verma said.