Patiala, June 15
The protest by three Corona warrior nurses atop a water tank near the residence of Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh entered its second day on Monday, as the demonstrators continued demanding permanent government employment.
The protesting nurses had served at Rajindra Hospital in Patiala during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been seeking regularisation of their jobs for several years.
According to the protesters, they had earlier staged demonstrations on the roof of the parking area at Rajindra Hospital during the tenure of the previous Congress government. They alleged that before the formation of the present Punjab government, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had personally visited the protest site and assured them that the process to regularise Corona warrior nursing staff would be initiated on a priority.
However, despite nearly four-and-a-half years passing since then, the protesters claimed they are still struggling for employment security.
The nurses have been holding a sit-in protest for the past 20 days outside the residence of Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh. On Sunday, the agitation escalated after the three women climbed atop a nearby water tank.
The protesters alleged that their clothes, belongings, and mobile phones were stolen during the night two days ago, following which they intensified their protest.
“We became angry after our belongings were stolen and decided to climb the water tank to press for our demands,” said Amanjot Kaur, a Corona warrior nurse participating in the protest.
The protesters further stated that a meeting between their leaders and the Health Minister, Dr Balbir Singh, is scheduled to take place in Chandigarh later in the day. They expressed hope that the government would take a positive decision regarding their regularisation.
