Revenue workers of Bihar did not agree even after withdrawal of suspension, still adamant on strike, work stopped in the areas:

News India Live, Digital Desk: The general public may have to wait longer for the works related to land and property in Bihar. Despite orders by the Revenue and Land Reforms Department to reinstate over 200 suspended revenue employees, the employees’ union has refused to end the strike. Due to this ongoing dispute between the department and the employees, there is silence in all the block offices of the state.

The government withdrew the suspension, why is the union still adamant?

The government led by Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary showed leniency in view of the important tasks of Census 2027 and directed to cancel the suspension of 224 revenue personnel who were suspended between February 11 and April 19. The Additional Secretary of the department had written a letter to all the District Magistrates asking them to take these personnel back on duty. However, ‘Bihar State Land Reform Employees Union’ says that the government has only withdrawn the suspension, but no concrete decision has been taken so far on their main demands (increase in grade pay, transfer and allowance).

Case stuck in ‘guidance’ of officials

The union leaders allege that the department has given the order to withdraw the suspension, but the Collectors (DM) in the districts and the officers below them are considering this departmental letter only as a ‘guidance’. The employees say that until the restoration process is not completed at the ground level and written assurance is not received on their demands, they will continue the strike. The Sangh made it clear that they will not end this struggle that has been going on for more than two months without any concrete result.

Common public is in trouble: admissions and certificates stuck

Lakhs of people of Bihar are troubled due to this indefinite strike that has been going on since the month of February. Important works like mutation, LPC, caste-income and residence certificate are completely stalled in the areas. Due to lack of paperwork after land registration, people are making rounds of offices. The work of preliminary survey of census is also feared to be affected due to this strike.

Political turn: Discussion on overturning the decision of former minister

This decision to withdraw the suspension is being seen as a major administrative change in the politics of Bihar. In fact, the previous suspension order was the result of the tough stance of the then department, which has been reversed by the new government in ‘public interest’. Now it remains to be seen whether the government is able to end this impasse by accepting other demands of the employees or whether the lockdown in revenue offices will prolong further.