LUDHIANA, June 12: In response to a call given by the Joint Action Committee of All Municipal Corporations, Punjab, the MC employees today observed a pen down strike to protest the non-acceptance of their demands by the state government.Though the employees marked themselves present, they, however, refused to carry out their routine duties. As a result, the normally crowded MC headquarters wore a deserted look.Addressing the agitating employees, Tarsem Singh Khalsa, convenor and Devi Sahai Tandon, general secretary of the JAC criticised the ``adamant'' and ``indifferent'' attitude of the state government. They said the MC staff had been protesting against direct recruitment for the last three months but the government had failed to respond. Threatening to intensify the stir, they said that if the state government did not initiate a dialogue with the civic employees within 10 days, all the employees of the four MCs in Punjab would go on a two-day strike on July 2 and 3.The day-long dharna by five employees of the MC also continued today with a batch of women employees - Promila, Jatinder Kaur, Gursharan Kaur, Chanchal Rani and Harbhajan Kaur participating in it. Among others Sunil Sharma, Tarlochan Lochi, Kuldip Singh, Raj Mehra, Padam Chand Sharma, Madan Lal Kochar, Sunder Lal Mehra, Hans Raj Gagat and Vinod Sharda addressed the rally.
