Taking a tough stance against the agitating employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), the executive committee’s joint secretary has told the staff to end their “unlawful strike” or face termination.
The Non Gazetted Employees Association (NGEA) has been protesting for the release of 34 months worth of pending salaries due to them by the GHADC and have been not allowing the council offices to operate.
In a statement to the NGEA members, the joint secretary stated that while the agitation over their pending dues was the right of the employees, they had no legal right to occupy and dissuade officers and the public from entering the GHADC headquarters.
“The council premises are a public place and you have absolutely no right to continue to occupy the public place without authority either from the GHADC or the district administration. Your entire action is illegal,” said the statement.
The statement referred to the Shaheen Bagh case of 2020 where the courts came down on protestors for occupying a public road to express their dissent against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The statement stated that the occupation was illegal and violated the orders of the Supreme Court.
“If the executive committee decides to file an FIR against your association, all of you, it is felt, will land in serious trouble,” threatened the joint secretary.
The letter further added that the new EC was aware of the situation and was working on ways to resolve the problems but this cannot be accomplished without the cooperation of the employees.
“During the last five months of your agitation, the council has lost lots of revenue which would have gone towards reimbursement of your salaries,” the statement added.
The joint secretary also stated that the EC was informed that many employees wanted to resume work but were being coerced against doing so.
“The EC has desisted from initiating any harsh legal action from the police and court. However, if you refuse to appreciate the gravity of the situation, I am directed to inform you that the EC will be compelled to take appropriate legal action against you,” he added.
Referring to the case of ‘Abdul Motaleb vs GHADC’ where the courts ruled the council employees were not government servants and were not protected under Article 309 of the Constitution, the statement said that the EC could be compelled to terminate the services of many of the agitating employees with no pay being given during the time of absence from office for the agitation.
