Odisha Havildar-Sepoy-Constable Mahasangh Withdraws Stir

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Havildar-Sepoy-Constable Mahasangh on Thursday withdrew its protest agitation following an assurance by the state government to look into its four-point charter of demands.

The decision was taken after a meeting of the Mahasangh delegation with the Director General of Police (DGP), R.P. Sharma at his camp office here in the morning.

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, president of the Mahasangh, Santosh Satpathy said, “The DGP requested us to withdraw the agitation as the state government has assured assurance that our demands will be fulfilled by today evening,” he added.

The four demands of the Mahasangh are, abolition of contractual appointment, provision of all types of allowances for contractual policemen, enhancement in allowance and medical insurance benefits. Satpathy said that earlier, the duration of the treatment of the policemen injured on duty was taken as leave. Now the government has decided that the treatment period of the policemen will be considered as their duty period.

“Apart from this, the government has also simplified reimbursement of medical bills. Earlier, we had to seek the permission of the DMET or the authorities of the government medical college and hospitals and district headquarters hospitals for approval of reimbursement of the medical bill. Now, we will not have to seek any permission as we can get treatment at any hospital,” he added. 

Asked whether the Mahasangh has received any written assurance from the government, Satpathy hoped that the government will come up with a notification in the evening. “We have full faith in the government and the Chief Minister, he pointed out.

He also called on the agitating policemen to withdraw the black badges and perform their duty as usual.

The Mahasangh in a press meet in Cuttack on Wednesday evening, had said that the havildars, sepoys and constables will join their duty on Thursday wearing black badges and later hand over the firearms to their concerned authorities in the evening as a mark of protest. The Mahasangh had threatened to go on an indefinite cease work from Friday.