Written by Milind Ghatwai | Bhopal |
August 28, 2016 4:32:35 am
August 28, 2016 4:32:35 am
Following allegations that it is trying to divide employees on religious lines, the Madhya Pradesh State Open School Council has decided to withdraw a circular, which had earmarked paid leaves for daily wage workers and outsourced employees as per their religion. The council is under the state education department.
The circular, which was issued on August 24, stated that Hindu daily wage workers and outsourced employees can take paid leaves on Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, Deepawali and Guru Nanak Jayanti, while their Muslim counterparts can avail the same on Eid-al-Adha, Eid-al-Fitr, Milad-un-Nabi, Muharram, Guru Nanak Jayanti and Janmashtami.
The circular was criticised by employees and political parties, prompting the board to state that it would withdraw it.
Unlike regular employees, who have a separate list of holidays, daily wagers and outsourced employees are governed by separate rules. In addition to three national holidays — Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti — they are entitled to five paid leaves on religious occasions. Of the board’s total employee strength of 73, only 29 are regular employees.
The council’s director P R Tiwari said the circular was issued because employees had been asked to choose five religious occasions, but they did not reply. He added that Muslim employees were made eligible for holidays on two Hindu festivals because the official holiday calendar lists only three religious occasions for the community. Tiwari, who took over recently, alleged that the employees were unhappy with him because he made them work.
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