Gangtok: In an act of disapproval regarding the state government’s termination of three employees recruited under the ‘One Family One Job’ (OFOJ) scheme, members of the Citizen Action Party (CAP) staged a protest on Friday outside Gangtok district administration centre in Sikkim.
Earlier this week, CAP addressed the concern through a press conference.
On Thursday, members of CAP held a discussion with the Department of Personnel (DOP) secretary, giving the department a deadline of 10 days to reinstate the employees.
On Friday scores of CAP supporters, including President LP Kafley, took part in the dharna.
Elaborating on the discontent, CAP president Kafley shared, “In 2018-19 the then government had introduced a scheme, ‘One Family One Job’, to give employment to unemployed youths. The then chief minister had a public declaration that 17,000 youths now have a secure future with the job orders.”
He mentioned that a PIL filed to question the procedure of recruitment for this scheme had reached the Sikkim High Court.
The court’s verdict clarified that although the recruitment without a proper procedure had happened once, it should not be repeated and that back-door entries without a recruitment process should be avoided, informed Kafley.
He continued that although the High Court safeguarded the jobs of employees recruited without procedure under the OFOJ scheme, the current government terminated their employment due to political vendetta. “It is sad and inhuman” of the government to do so which is why the dharna is being staged, he said.
Members of CAP who were assured 10 days’ time by the DOP secretary for reinstating the terminated employees were denied reinstatement. A day earlier, the DOP secretary said that OFOJ is not governed by the service rule and that there is no clear reason needed to terminate employees.
The CAP president further said that “to pick and choose” when terminating a welfare scheme’s beneficiary is inhuman. He asserted, “Even the current chief minister, when he was in the Opposition, opposed the OFOJ on the pretext of appointment procedure not being followed, claiming it has no legality. They had promised to pass a law in the Legislative Assembly to secure the OFOJ employees’ future after forming the government.”
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Kafley also slammed the government for back-door entries continuing during the tenure of the current government.
He complained, “This is politically motivated employment, which assures that even the government’s future is not secured. The government is not giving opportunity to skilled youths of the state. They are not even conducting interviews for recruitment. Whoever is a party supporter is getting job orders.”
CAP promised a more intense protest and even a legal battle in the future if the terminated OFOJ employees are not reinstated within 10 days.
Also Read | Sikkim: CAP gives week’s ultimatum to recruit terminated employees under ‘One Family One Job’ scheme