CHENNAI : Around 1,000 Tamil Nadu Home Guards staged a protest in front of Rajarathinam stadium on Saturday demanding permanent employment with monthly salary. This is because they end up working at least 20 days a month with pay only for five days, they alleged. The personnel were posted in Telangana on Assembly election duty for the past eight days.
They arrived at Rajarathinam stadium on Saturday and when they demanded their payment, the officers allegedly told them that they will not get the payment for another week. “They told us there was no money and we will receive payment only after the new government in Telangana sanctions fund for our service,” said R Saravanakumar, a Home Guard.
The personnel gathered inside Rajarathinam stadium demanding the money, but a few police officers pushed them out of the stadium. Agitated by this, the personnel sat in front the stadium and raised slogans.“We will be paid Rs 560 per duty. Initially, we had 15 days duty and last year the police department told us that we will be posted only for five days a month. But, that remains only on paper,” said M Rajalingam from Tirunelveli. He added that whenever they are posted within the limits of a police station, the respective police officer commands them to work for more than five days, but they get payment only for five days.
“While the Home Guard personnel in Telangana are provided proper monthly salary of around Rs 21,000 and respected as equal to police, we are not treated properly by all police personnel and officers,” said G Francis Xavier from Thoothukudi.Assistant Commandant General Manjit Singh of Home Guards, Chennai reached the spot and had talks with the personnel.