Punjab government calls September 8 leave illegal, warns legal action
India
Punjab government says the mass leave planned by state employees on September 8 is "illegal" and warns of legal action if public services are hit.
The protest, led by the Punjab Sanja Mulazam Manch, comes after their demand to withdraw a recent government notice wasn't met.
DA dispute centers on ₹14,191cr arrears
At the heart of it is a fight over dearness allowance (DA) payments.
Minister Aman Arora shared that while DA was recently raised for newer employees and pay parity was given to others, a big chunk, ₹14,191 crore in pending arrears, is still tied up in court.
Arora urged staff to talk things out with the government instead of striking, saying public services for millions shouldn't be put at risk.