Sisodia meets DGEWA employees as hunger strike enters 4th day

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Thursday met protesting employees of his government who are demanding the restructuring of the Delhi Administrative Subordinate Services (DASS) and steno cadre. Three members of the Delhi Government Employees Welfare Association (DGEWA) have been sitting on a hunger strike outside the Delhi Secretariat for the last four days in favour of their demands.

Umesh Batra, general secretary of the DGEWA, said there are around 12,000 employees pertaining to DASS, steno and clerk cadre. According to a government statement, Sisodia expressed solidarity with the protesting employees.

Addressing hundreds of protestors, the deputy chief minister rued that services do not come under the AAP government, adding that he was "pained" to see the DASS cadre has been continuously subjected to "injustice". "Since May 2015, we are fighting to retain the services with the Delhi government. This is not a personal fight, but a fight against the repressive system," the statement quoted Sisodia as saying.

He appealed to the employees to call off their hunger strike as it affects the health of those sitting on the protest, the statement stated. Sisodia also conveyed the assurance from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that the elected government is committed towards the interests of employees working for the Delhi government.