Terminated employees of land reforms department protesting outside BJP office in Patna injured in lathicharge

Patna: Some terminated contractual employees of the land reforms department, who were protesting outside the BJP office in Patna on Wednesday, were injured as police resorted to a lathicharge.

They have been carrying a sit-in at the Gardanibagh dharna site for the last 26 days, demanding equal pay for equal work and job security till the age of 60, and on Wednesday they moved to Birchand Patel Path, where the BJP office is located.Krishna Murari Prasad, subdivisional police officer (law and order)-I, said there is no permission for protest on Birchand Patel Path as it is a sensitive area with the Patna high court and other govt buildings in the vicinity.

“The protesters chased away the police personnel from the dharna site. They also scuffled with the personnel, in which some protesters were injured while being chased away from there. We had to use baton in retaliation and clear the area,” he said.Of the 10,775 contractual workers employed in the land reforms department — 40% of them being women — 7,480 were terminated. After their one-year contract ended in July 2025, it was extended.

Despite this, 7,480 went on a strike, leading to the disciplinary action against them.A protester, Ram Shankar Singh, said he was the sole breadwinner of his six-member family. “I lost my job, but I haven’t informed my family. My father is a diabetes patient, and his health could deteriorate. The govt talks about providing a million jobs, but they have removed us. Thousands were let go after being shown a dream,” he said.Revenue and land reforms minister Sanjay Sarawagi said that the contractual workers went on the strike at the start of the department’s major revenue campaign, which affected work. “All contractual workers were urged to end the strike and join the campaign. Several opportunities were given, asking them to return to work by 5pm on Sept 3. Those who returned during that time are still working, but those who continued to strike have had their contracts terminated,” he said.Another protestor, Khusbu Devi, said they won’t go home until the govt makes a decision. “I don’t have the courage to face my parents, sister and brother. Why is the govt being unjust to us. We are not even being called for discussions. We were hired at Rs 27,000, later the salary was increased to Rs 35,000, and after PF (provident fund) deductions, we received Rs 31,000,” she said.