Thiruvananthapuram: Government office operations in Kerala faced partial disruption on Wednesday as government employees and teachers, excluding those affiliated with the CPM and BJP, are participating in a strike. The protest is centred on demands including the release of DA arrears, withdrawal of the contributory pension scheme and rectification of flaws in the MEDISEP health scheme.

Opposition leader VD Satheesan is set to inaugurate the protests outside the Secretariat on Wednesday. According to Manorama News, nearly 75 per cent of employees reported to work at the Secretariat due to the dies non. However, protest marches were held around the area in the state capital.

In Pathanamthitta, a clash broke out between CPI-affiliated groups and CPM members during the protest. In Kollam, the police dismantled a pandal outside the collectorate following a High Court directive. This action led to a clash between the police and protesters.

CPI-affiliated service organisations criticised the CPM-affiliated organisations for not participating in the strike, stating that “stances cannot change with a change in government.” The government will mark employees participating in the strike as absent (dies non).

The strike, led by the CPI-backed Joint Council and other Congress-aligned State Employees and Teachers' Organisation (SETO), is expected to significantly affect operations in village offices, taluk offices, collectorates and veterinary offices, where these groups have substantial membership. The protestors also claim that over 1,000 employees in the Secretariat will join the strike. According to the striking employees, the delay in DA payments has caused financial losses ranging from Rs 4,370 to Rs 31,692 per month for staff members.

Meanwhile, CPM-affiliated service organisations, while acknowledging pending benefits for government employees, stated they have faith in the government’s promises and are not participating in the strike. CPI-affiliated organisations mocked their stance during the protest. Departments have also been directed not to approve leave requests for employees except in emergencies and those participating in the strike will lose their salaries.