Haryana Roadways Employees On Strike Against Privatisation Of Transport System

Haryana Roadways employees went on a two-day strike to protest the state government's decision to introduce 700 private buses in the state. “Despite the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) being in force, the roadways workers went on strike and staged sit-ins at several depots across the state, including in Rohtak, Sirsa, Hisar, Ambala and Chandigarh, under the banner of Haryana Roadways Karamchari Joint Action Committee.” Haryana Roadways Workers Union general secretary Sarbat Singh Punia said “We want the Haryana government to withdraw its decision of introducing private buses in the state. (…) Despite the government’s move to crush our strike by imposing the ESMA, ordering suspension of many workers and rounding up 176 of our workers and leaders, over 4,000 buses remained off roads.”