Thousands of government employees from several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, gathered at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Sunday to urge the BJP government to reinstate the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) ahead of upcoming assembly and Lok Sabha polls. The protest, known as the “Pension Shankanaad Rally,” was organized by the National Movement for Old Pension Scheme (NMOPS) and saw participation from various sectors, including teachers, doctors, clerks, and peons, as well as those working in public sector undertakings (PSUs).
Protestors at the rally displayed placards and chanted slogans such as ‘Jumle wali sarkar nahi chalegi abki baar’ (No more empty promises this time) and ‘NPS go back, OPS come back’ to express their demands.
Government employees expressed their dissatisfaction with the New Pension Scheme (NPS), which they viewed as a form of privatization. They argued that after dedicating their careers to government service, they deserved the right to receive an adequate pension. Under the NPS, they claimed they would only receive meager pensions of Rs 2000-2500.
Suresh Singh Baghel, a headmaster from Bhadohi, UP, highlighted that BJP leaders had previously campaigned on the promise of implementing OPS but failed to deliver. He pointed out that his current monthly salary was Rs 70,000, and the OPS would provide a pension equivalent to 50 percent of his salary, whereas the NPS offered significantly less.
Dinesh Chandra Yadav, another teacher from UP, expressed his concern about the adequacy of a Rs 2000 pension after retirement. He emphasized that his vote would be influenced by the reinstatement of OPS and that government employees would support the political party that supported their demands.
The rally also garnered support from opposition members, including the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who are part of the INDIA BLOC. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his support for the demand to bring back OPS and criticized the NPS as unjust to employees.
The Congress party, which won the Himachal Pradesh elections and fulfilled its promise to reintroduce OPS, reaffirmed its commitment to employee rights and urged other governments to follow suit. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) chief Arvinder Singh Lovely assured government employees that the Congress party would work towards restoring the old pension scheme in Delhi if they win the polls and also promised to regularize contractual teachers.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
