Protests Disrupt Public Service Delivery in Kerala as State Employees Strike for Dues

Government offices in Kerala experienced disruptions as pro-Opposition state employee unions, affiliated with the Congress and BJP staged a one-day token strike for the payment of dearness allowance (DA) dues and improved service conditions. Public service delivery was notably affected as employees boycotted work at various levels of government offices.

The strikers demanded the release of pay revision dues, reinstatement of leave surrender, the return of the statutory pension system, and rectification of anomalies in the government-funded medical insurance scheme (Medisep). The strike led to confrontations, especially at the Secretariat complex, where the pro-Congress Kerala Secretariat Association (KSA) attempted to prevent employees opposed to the strike from reporting for duty.

The government had warned striking employees of consequences, including loss of salary for the day, and the Opposition blamed the administration’s financial mismanagement for the situation. Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal labeled the strike politically motivated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to paying employees their dues.