Gonda: Tension prevailed at the Development Bhawan in Gonda after employees of the Panchayati Raj Department and members of the Rural Sanitation Workers’ Union staged an indefinite protest, demanding legal action against the District Programme Officer (DPO) over alleged use of abusive language against the District Panchayati Raj Officer on social media.
According to the protesting employees, the District Programme Officer allegedly used objectionable and abusive language, including derogatory remarks directed at the District Panchayati Raj Officer, through social media. After the matter came to their notice, employees of the Panchayati Raj Department expressed strong resentment and gathered at the Development Bhawan on Sunday.
The protest was led by Raghavendra Tiwari, district president of the Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Rural Sanitation Workers’ Union. By afternoon, representatives and employees from various associated organisations had also joined the demonstration.
Among those participating were office-bearers of the Assistant Development Officers (Panchayat) Association, the Gram Panchayat Officers’ Association and other employee organisations. Ravi Mishra, district president of the Assistant Development Officers’ Association, Jamuna Prasad, president of the Gram Panchayat Officers’ Association, Naushad, secretary, and former president Ajit Gupta were among those present.
Employees Submit Memorandum to CDO
A delegation of the protesting employees met Gonda Chief Development Officer and discussed their demands. They subsequently submitted a memorandum seeking action against the District Programme Officer.
The employees argued that no public servant or individual has the right to use abusive language against another person and demanded appropriate legal action over the alleged remarks.
The union said the indefinite protest would continue until the District Programme Officer appears before the employees and tenders a verbal apology.
Memorandum to MLA Planned
The Uttar Pradesh Panchayati Rural Sanitation Workers’ Union has also announced plans to submit a memorandum against the District Programme Officer to Tarabganj MLA Prem Narayan Pandey on Sunday.
The protesters maintained that the issue concerns the dignity and working environment of government employees and called for a formal resolution of the matter.
A large number of union members and office-bearers participated in the demonstration. Those present included state vice-president Amir Ahmed, district general secretary Devmani Shukla, district auditor Gram Roop Verma, district publicity minister Phoolraj, women’s wing district president Sarita Kashyap, general secretary Ramrati Devi, divisional general secretary Shafiqul Nisha, Poonam Singh, Anita Prajapati, Chandravati Devi, block president Loknath Shukla, Atul Tiwari, Lala Paswan, Dharmendra Pandey, Abhimanyu Kumar, Pankaj, Ravi Goswami, Harendra Singh, Jitendra Tiwari, Pradeep Verma, Ram Sajeevan Tiwari, Raghunath Maurya, Sunny Ram Kanojia, Zuber Ahmed, Anant Ram Verma, Jabiullah Siddiqui, Dharmendra Verma, Harish Mishra and Satish Chandra Trivedi, among others.
The employees said they would continue pressing for action until their demands are addressed.
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