Kolkata: Protesting state government officials over Dearness Allowance (DA) issue on Thursday had hit the streets throwing traffic out of gear in the city. The protestors warned of bigger protests on March 13 across the state if the administration doesn’t hold a meeting with them.After the rally was taken out from the Esplanade area in central Kolkata, Kolkata police had set up three-tier barricades near the Indian Museum to stop the rally from reaching Kalighat which is the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Despite several requests from the protestors that they want to march till Hazra in south Kolkata near the Chief Minister’s residence the police refused to open the barricades.
After a prolonged agitation and sit-in-demonstration the protestors wanted to meet the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty so that Supreme Court’s verdict of clearing 25 per cent of backlog DA can be implemented.
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Bhaskar Ghosh, convenor of the protestors said that almost 100 organizations cutting across the political hues had joined the protest demanding clearing of backlog DA.“We will wait till March 13 and if a meeting is not done and if the apex court’s verdict is not followed then we will hold a bigger protest on March 13 across the state. We are all government employees and if our demand is not met then we will campaign against the ruling party ahead of the election. Our claims are legitimate and even the Supreme Court has given its verdict,” said Ghosh.