INLD slams Khattar claiming there was unanimity over filing of SLP Hardik Patel, supporters to observe fast sitting in cars

CHANDIGARH: The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) on Friday hit out at the Haryana government for its claim that there was unanimity among all political parties for filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court over the issue of regularisation of employees.

Ashok Arora, the state unit chief of the Haryana’s main opposition party, said at no point during Thursday’s meeting did the INLD representative concur with the government’s “changed stand” about the employees affected by the Punjab and Haryana High Court order.

The meeting was convened by the state government under the chairmanship of Advocate General Baldev Raj Mahajan.

“The INLD is not even aware as to how and why did the government change its stand from bringing a bill in the Vidhan Sabha to regularise those employees to now deciding to file a SLP,” Arora claimed in a statement.

“The INLD is consistent in its demand that a bill be intro- duced in the Vidhan Sabha to give relief to all employees affected by the high court order,” he said.

He said at no point in the meeting did the INLD representative agree with the government’s proposal.

“Apart from verbally opposing the idea of SLP, he (the INLD representative) suggested that a comprehensive bill be brought so as to safeguard the interests of employees affected by the adverse high court judgment,” he said.

“The claim of the government made through an official press release is mischievous and a distortion of facts. The government should retract this bogus claim which is contrary to facts and defamatory in nature,” Arora alleged.

According to a Haryana government release, “It was decided unanimously in the meeting that the state government and the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh would file a SLP in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding regularization policy”.

It said the meeting was attended by former advocate general Hawa Singh Hooda, INLD representative Naresh Singh Shekhawat, Additional Advocate General Lokesh Singal and Parvinder Chauhan and representatives of Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh.

The high court here had earlier this year set aside the Employee Regularisation Policy whereby the previous Congress government had regularised the services of more than 20,000 contractual employees.

The court had allowed the employees to continue for a period of six months, during which the state was to ensure that regular posts were advertised and the process of selection was completed. AHMEDABAD: Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel and 500 of his supporters will observe a fast while sitting in cars here on August 19, to mount pressure on the authorities to allocate a ground for his August 25 agitation.

He and his supporters will stage a day-long fast in their cars in a parking area in Nikol locality here, where Patel has sought permission to hold a rally on August 25.

To respect the national mourning declared by the government after the death of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he and his supporters will cover their mouths with a black cloth, he said in a statement here.

Earlier, Patel had announced an indefinite hunger strike at this ground in Nikol area from August 25 to press the demand of reservations for the Patidar community.

However, the ground was recently converted into a public parking area by the civic body.