9th July Strike: ‘No Need to Fear,’ Says Bhaskar Ghosh on Repercussions for Protesters

9th July Strike: This coming Wednesday, July 9, 2025, West Bengal is set to witness a statewide strike. The call for this shutdown has been given by ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’, a politically neutral platform, to press for the various demands of all permanent and temporary state government employees. The strike’s main focus is on pressing state-specific issues such as Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears, transparent recruitment, and unresolved problems concerning the SSC 2016 candidates. Bhaskar Ghosh, the convenor of Sangrami Joutha Mancha, has clarified that this strike is not part of any all-India workers’ strike but is entirely focused on the demands of employees paid from the state exchequer.

To ensure the success of the strike and to boost the morale of the participants, the platform has provided detailed information and assurances. Let’s delve into the reasons behind this strike, its key demands, and the legal context surrounding it.

What are the Core Demands of the Strike?

The Sangrami Joutha Mancha has called this strike primarily based on six major demands, which are of critical importance to the state’s employees and job aspirants.

• Pending Dearness Allowance (DA): Immediate payment of the 25% pending Dearness Allowance to state government employees, as per the directive of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Additionally, all dues under the current ROPA (Revision of Pay and Allowances) must be cleared.
• SSC-2016 OMR Publication: The OMR sheets of all candidates who appeared for the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) examination must be published, along with a flawless merit list of qualified teachers.
• Transparent and Permanent Recruitment: The process for permanent recruitment in all vacant posts across various government departments must be initiated immediately and with complete transparency.
• Permanent Status for Temporary Employees: All temporary employees in the state must be granted permanent positions, and the principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ must be implemented.
• Halt on Retaliatory Transfers: The practice of transferring employees for vindictive reasons to harass them must be stopped immediately.
• Women’s Safety: Adequate measures must be taken to ensure the safety and security of women in all government offices.

Legal Aspects and Assurances from the Mancha

In the past, the state government often issued threats of “Break-in-Service” for participating in strikes, creating fear among employees. The Sangrami Joutha Mancha has been fighting this legally. The platform has provided the following assurances:

• Fear of ‘Break-in-Service’ is Baseless: Following a successful strike on March 10, 2023, during a meeting with the government under the Calcutta High Court’s directive, the then Finance Secretary could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the difference between ‘Dies-non’ and ‘Break-in-Service’.
• Ongoing Legal Case: The Mancha has filed a case against this illegal notification in the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT), which is still pending. Since then, the government has stopped using the term ‘Break-in-Service’ in its notices.
• Maximum Penalty: As per the current government notice, the maximum penalty for participating in the strike could be a deduction of one day’s salary.
• Legal Support: If any employee faces administrative action for participating in the strike, the Sangrami Joutha Mancha will stand by them. A special helpdesk will be set up for this purpose, and its contact number will be shared soon.

Given these favorable circumstances, the Sangrami Joutha Mancha has urged all state government employees to actively participate in the strike to assert their rights and strengthen the movement to achieve their demands.