Employees protest lathi charge, burn govt effigy

Mohali: Employees and representatives of various organisations Monday staged a protest outside the Powercom XEN office in Zirakpur, condemning the alleged lathi charge on unemployed apprentice workers in Patiala.Protesters burned an effigy of the Punjab govt and raised slogans, expressing anger over the use of force against youth seeking permanent jobs after completing ITI apprenticeship training.Speakers alleged the workers had been holding a peaceful protest outside the Powercom head office when police used force to disperse them, leaving several youths and women injured. Some of the injured were admitted to Govt Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, they said.Terming the action undemocratic, protesters accused the govt of ignoring employment demands and resorting to force instead.They demanded a fair probe into the incident, action against those responsible, and a transparent recruitment mechanism for apprentice workers. Warning of intensified agitation, they said the govt must engage in dialogue rather than crackdown on protesters.