Ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly election, several issues relating to government employees, including restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), have come to haunt the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Scores of State government employees and pensioners on Friday (August 7, 2026) staged an ‘anti-government’ demonstration in Chandigarh.

The demonstration came amid frustration over the AAP government not yet fulfilling its promise made in the run-up to the 2022 Assembly poll about restoring the OPS, besides other demands, including release of pending 18% dearness allowance (DA) and regularisation of contractual employees.

Several employees’ organisations under the banner of ‘Punjab Mulazam and Pensioners Front’ and ‘Sanjha Mulazam Manch Punjab’ took part in the demonstration and staged a protest against the government. The employees, who assembled in large numbers here, were stopped by the Chandigarh Police as they attempted to march towards the Punjab State Assembly, where the Monsoon Session was under way. The Police used water cannons to disperse protesting employees.

Sukhchain Singh Khaira said government employees, including teachers, technical staff, Class 4 employees, ministerial staff, engineers, medical staff and several other joined the demonstration to express their anguish against the AAP government.

“The State government has not fulfilled our demands and has only been giving assurances. Nothing concrete has been done for employees. We will observe a complete strike on August 27, if by then our demands are not met,” he said.

The Opposition parties also took a dig at the AAP government. Senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa extended his support to the protesting employees, which he termed as “ their legitimate fight for their rightful dues.”

“Their demand for the release of pending DA is both just and long overdue. I reiterate that the Congress Party and I stand firmly with them and will support their movement in whatever manner they deem necessary until their genuine demands are met. The voices of Punjab’s employees cannot be ignored any longer,” he said.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal said the AAP government is treating its employees like enemies, even as he said AAP has lost all moral right to govern.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said that while government employees have not been paid their pending DA, which is their legal entitlement, but public funds are being misused to serve the government’s political interests.

Published - August 08, 2026 11:25 am IST