The tussle between the Punjab government and its employees intensified today, with the Bhagwant Mann government directing departments to prepare lists of employees who remained absent during the statewide 'Maha Hartal' and initiate action against them.
The move has triggered a sharp political response from Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who accused Chief Minister Mann of "taking revenge" against government employees for joining the strike. The SAD has backed the employees' agitation and warned that any "high-handedness" will be opposed.
The escalation came on a day when thousands of government employees and pensioners observed a statewide strike over demands, including the release of pending dearness allowance (DA) dues and the implementation of the Old Pension Scheme. Government functioning was disrupted across departments, while OPD services at several hospitals were also affected.
The standoff deepened further after Mann refused to meet protesting employees while their strike continued. A 16-member employee delegation had reached PAP in Jalandhar to meet the chief minister, but Mann made it clear that talks would take place only after the agitation was called off.
With over 150 employee organisations under the Punjab Sanjha Mulazam Manch backing the strike, the confrontation is now moving beyond a wage-and-service dispute into a larger political challenge for the AAP government ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The scale of the agitation-said to involve around 7.5 lakh employees and pensioners-makes the confrontation particularly significant, with the government now facing the twin pressure of disruption on the ground and potential electoral fallout.
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