Stop Threatening Employees Instead of Giving Them Their Due: Randhawa

Chandigarh, August 27, 2026: Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Member of Parliament Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He said the Punjab government must clarify why it is so reluctant to provide employees and pensioners with their rightful Dearness Allowance (DA). When employees are demanding their legitimate rights what is the need for the government to adopt a confrontational approach.
Randhawa said that instead of engaging in dialogue with employees, the Bhagwant Mann government has adopted a policy of intimidating and threatening them. This must stop immediately. Government employees are not ones to be intimidated. In a democratic government, problems are resolved through dialogue, not by suppressing the voice of employees. Those employees who have devoted their entire lives to serving Punjab are today being forced to struggle against the government for their legitimate rights.
Randhawa said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann must remember that government employees are not workers of any political party, but the backbone of Punjab’s administrative system. Withholding their rights is not merely an economic injustice but also an insult to their contribution. The government’s responsibility is not to force employees into a strike, but to resolve their grievances. Had the Bhagwant Mann government engaged seriously with employees on their demands in time, the present situation of confrontation in the state would never have arisen.
He said the Punjab government is now trying to shift the blame for its financial mismanagement onto employees. The government must explain why, when resources are available to spend on political publicity and party activities in other states, the state treasury suddenly runs out of funds when it comes to paying the legitimate dues of Punjab’s employees and pensioners.
Warning the Chief Minister, he said that power is not permanent, but decisions taken by governments can affect the public and employees for a long time. Therefore, the Chief Minister should set aside his arrogance, and immediately release the pending legitimate dues of employees and pensioners. The Congress stands firmly with employees and pensioners in their fight for their rights and will not allow their voice to be suppressed at any cost.