Members of the CPI-aligned Joint Council of State Service Organisations and Congress-aligned State Employees and Teachers Organisation holding separate protest meets as part of a Statewide strike, outside the Kozhikode district collectorate on January 22.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

The functioning of government offices and schools in Kozhikode district was disrupted on Wednesday (January 22) as employees and teachers associated with the Communist Party of India-aligned Joint Council of State Service Organisations and All-Kerala School Teachers’ Union, along with the Congress-aligned State Employees and Teachers Organisation (SETO) staged separate strikes over various demands.

According to sources, only around 30% of the employees were present for duty at the district collectorate. The working of departments such as Revenue, Agriculture, and Animal Husbandry were disrupted. Some offices of the Health department too were reportedly affected. The government has issued a ‘dies non’ (no work, no pay) order against those who participated in the strike.

Both organisations are raising almost similar demands, such as the withdrawal of the contributory pension scheme for teachers and government employees and resumption of the old pension scheme, steps to implement the recommendations of the 12^th Pay Commission, release of dearness allowance and salary hike arrears, withdrawal of the government order freezing leave surrender benefits, and the government takeover of the Medisep health insurance scheme. The joint council is also protesting against the alleged discrimination against Kerala by the Union government in releasing Central funds.

A peculiar situation emerged outside the district collectorate in the morning, where members of a key ruling Left Democratic Front constituent and an Opposition party stood side by side holding separate protest meetings. However, affiliate organisations of the Indian Union Muslim League did not participate.

Opening the SETO protest meeting, Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil alleged that Kerala was being ruled by a “government with dues,” as benefits worth ₹65,000 crore owed to employees and teachers remained unpaid. The government was yet to clear the dues of drug distributors in hospitals. Beneficiaries of social security pensions were waiting for clearance of their dues. School headteachers were yet to get the money they had spent on the noon meal scheme. Mr. Parambil also alleged that the government, however, had no qualms about spending money to protect its vested political interests.

The joint council protest meeting was inaugurated by V.C. Jayaprakash, its vice-chairman. Similar protests were held at the taluk offices in Thamarassery and Koyilandy and at the Vadakara mini civil station.