Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Subhendu Adhikari, on Friday (December 26, 2025) reached the protest stage of civil defense personnel at Mandirtala near the state secretariat and expressed solidarity with their ongoing agitation for service related demands.
Addressing the protesters, who claimed to represent around 14,000 civil defense personnel in West Bengal, the officer accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of ignoring their ‘legitimate demands’ despite their training and role in disaster management.
The BJP leader alleged that the government had failed to send any representative to listen to their complaints. The officer said that the employees are not asking for ‘donation’ but they are trained personnel who are ready to risk their lives.
The BJP leader listed assured work, job security till the age of 60 and benefits like provident fund and medical insurance among the main demands of the protesters. He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of being ‘anti-employment’ and promoting a ‘culture of allowances’ to keep workers dependent instead of providing permanent employment.
The officer also urged government employees to consider the difference in dearness allowance and claimed that this difference will increase further if the current government continues. Referring to the way the state government dealt with Cyclone Amphan in 2020, he alleged that despite locally trained civil defense personnel, the government had to call disaster management personnel from Odisha to remove fallen trees in Kolkata.
The BJP leader compared this decision of the state government with the policy of Odisha, in which casual and contract workers are being regularized. He alleged that around six lakh permanent posts were abolished in West Bengal and employment exchanges were closed.
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