BJD creates ruckus in Odisha Assembly over nonpayment of salaries to Mission Shakti staffers

Bhubaneswar, Dec 10: The Opposition BJD members on Tuesday held protests disrupting the business in Odisha Assembly over alleged non-payment of salaries to thousands of women supporting staffers of Mission Shakti department.

As soon as the Question Hour began this morning, the BJD members trooped into the well of the House and shouted slogans demanding justice for around 60,000 women supporting staffers of Mission Shakti, who have been protesting here at Lower PMG since Monday, alleging that they have not got salary for the last nine months.

The opposition Congress also joined the BJD’s protest and extended its support to the agitating women.

Later, several BJD legislators including Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik reached the protest site to extend their support to the agitating women.

Thousands of women working as support staff under the Mission Shakti department have staged a demonstration here at Mahatma Gandhi Road in Lower PMG Square over nonpayment of salary for the last nine months.

The protesting women under the banner of All Odisha GPLF (Gram Panchayat Level Federation) Mission Shakti workers and Biju Shramik Samukhya Sangha staged the protest demanding immediate release of their pending salaries.

The state government has failed to pay our salaries for the last nine months despite frequent appeals and petitions. Having no other option we have called a protest, the agitators said.

The Odisha government has not given us our remuneration for the last nine months. We are going through financial crisis. We appeal Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to address our problems at the earliest, said a protester.