Punjab Police Use Force to Disperse MGNREGA Workers Protesting Unpaid Wages and Regularisation
A protest by MGNREGA employees in Khanna, Punjab, turned into a clash on Wednesday after police used lathi-charge, tear gas shells, and water cannons to stop demonstrators from marching towards the residence of Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond.
The workers, who had gathered at Prem Bhandari Park in the morning, were demanding regularisation of their services and release of salaries pending for eight months. According to protesters, 10 of them sustained injuries in the police action and were admitted to Khanna Civil Hospital and private hospitals. Police officers, including Khanna DSP Vinod Kumar, also suffered injuries during the clash.
The employees sought regularisation of over 2,000 contractual MGNREGA staff by merging them into the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats, along with the release of pending salaries. The protest escalated when the workers attempted to move past police barricades, leading to the use of force.
Punjab Police confirmed that officers were injured in the confrontation but did not provide specific numbers. The situation was brought under control after the crowd was dispersed. No arrests have been reported so far.
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) provides a legal guarantee for wage employment to rural households. Contractual workers under the scheme have been demanding regularisation and timely payment of wages, a long-standing issue across several states.
