Power sector unions in Punjab have raised strong objections after promotions of several employees in the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) were reportedly cancelled following their participation in the February 12 ‘Bharat bandh’.

The move has triggered protests from employee organisations, which allege that the action is punitive despite the strike having received political backing in the state.

According to union leaders, instructions were issued from the PSPCL office in Sangrur directing officials not to relieve employees who had been promoted from lineman to senior lineman if they had taken part in the February 12 strike.

The order further asked that the details of such employees be forwarded to the technical branch so that their promotions could be cancelled. The letter, dated March 3, was issued by the additional superintending engineer (technical) and addressed to additional superintending engineers and senior executive engineers across Sangrur district.

Union representatives said they believe similar directions may have been issued in other districts as well, although so far they have been able to access only the Sangrur communication.

Harpreet Singh, General Secretary, Punjab Technical Services Union, alleged that the action reflects a “dubious stand” of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

“Employees had participated in the Bharat bandh after giving due notice to PSPCL officials in their respective districts. Interestingly, the AAP itself had supported the bandh call and staged district-level protests, yet punitive action is being taken against employees,” Singh told The Indian Express.

Another union leader, Gurpreet Singh Mehdoodan of the PSEB Employees Federation (AITUC), said the corporation has also deducted one day’s salary of employees who joined the February 12 strike, which was reflected in their salaries. He, however, noted that such salary deductions had occurred in earlier strikes as well.

“Earlier, the deducted salary was usually restored after the issue was raised before the board of directors. Similar things happened in the past with deferred promotions or pension benefits, but this time the situation is different since the ruling party itself had supported the bandh,” he said.

The February 12 Bharat bandh had been called by ten central trade unions along with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to protest against what they described as anti-worker and anti-farmer policies of the central government.

The protest also focused on the proposed electricity amendment bill, concerns over privatisation in the power sector, and several labour and agricultural issues.

Employees of Punjab Roadways and the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) had also joined the strike partially. The bandh had received support from both the opposition Indian National Congress and the ruling AAP in Punjab.

Harpreet Singh said power employees’ unions will stage a protest outside the Ludhiana residence of Punjab Power Minister Sanjeev Arora on March 28, where the issue of cancelled promotions will also be raised.

When contacted, officials in the Sangrur office of PSPCL maintained that they were only acting on instructions received from the corporation’s headquarters and had simply forwarded the order to the concerned divisions, saying the decision itself had been taken at a higher level.