Punjab government employees’ statewide ‘Maha Hartal’ intensified on Thursday after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann cancelled a scheduled meeting with representatives of employee unions in Jalandhar. The employees are pressing the AAP-led state government to address several long-pending demands, including the release of pending dearness allowance (DA) dues and implementation of the Old Pension Scheme. The strike has affected the functioning of several government departments across the state, while outpatient department (OPD) services at hospitals have also been impacted. More than 150 employee organisations under the banner of the Punjab Sanjha Mulazam Manch have joined the agitation, turning it into a major collective protest by government employees and pensioners.

The scale of the protest has also given it a potential political dimension ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Around 7.50 lakh government employees and pensioners are participating in the agitation, according to the information provided by employee bodies. When their family members are taken into account, the protest could potentially have an impact on nearly 38 lakh voters, increasing the political significance of the standoff for the AAP-led government. A 16-member representative committee of employee unions had travelled to the Punjab Armed Police (PAP) complex in Jalandhar to meet Mann and raise their demands. The meeting was expected to focus on pending DA payments and the employees’ demand for restoration or implementation of the Old Pension Scheme.

However, the talks did not proceed as the employees remained on strike. According to the account of the meeting, Mann told the representatives that he would hold discussions with the protesting employees only after they ended their strike. In a post on X, the chief minister said the employees were part of the government’s “family” but maintained that negotiations and an ongoing protest could not take place simultaneously. The cancellation of the meeting has further widened the gap between the state government and the employee unions. The unions have maintained that their demands have remained unresolved for a considerable period and have chosen a statewide strike to press the government for action. The government, meanwhile, has insisted that talks should take place without the employees continuing their protest.

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The dispute over dearness allowance is one of the central issues behind the agitation. Government employees and pensioners have been seeking the release of pending DA payments, which are linked to revisions intended to compensate for changes in the cost of living. The unions have also been demanding action on the Old Pension Scheme, making pension-related policy another key point of contention. The strike has affected essential administrative services in several areas as government employees remain away from work. The disruption to OPD services has also added to concerns over the impact of the agitation on members of the public who depend on government healthcare facilities. The timing of the confrontation is particularly significant for the Punjab government, with the 2027 Assembly elections approaching.

The AAP government faces the challenge of balancing its position on employee demands with the need to maintain public services. With hundreds of employee organisations participating, the administration could face sustained pressure if the strike continues. For the employee unions, the cancellation of the Jalandhar meeting has reinforced their decision to continue the agitation until their demands are addressed. For the government, Mann’s position indicates that it wants the strike to end before formal negotiations resume. The standoff now leaves both sides facing pressure to find a way back to the negotiating table. With government services already affected and the protest involving a large section of the state’s employees and pensioners, the continuation of the Maha Hartal could become an increasingly important issue for the Punjab government in the run-up to the 2027 elections.

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