SC/ST employees on dharna after failing to meet CM

After failing to meet Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees today sat on a dharna for about six hours in the Odisha State Secretariat here demanding justice.
The SC/ST employees' protest comes a day after members of Odisha Sachivalaya Seva Sangha protested in front of the office of the Chief Secretary demanding immediate publication of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) list.
The SC/ST employees, however, opposed publication of the DPC list as the issue has been pending in court.
They have alleged that while workers belonging to general category get promoted up to desk officer and under-secretary positions, SC/STs are not getting similar benefits.

"This is harassment of SC/ST workers. This is a discrimination," said Vivekandnda Samal, Secretary of Odisha SC/ST Workers' Association.
The SC/ST Workers' Association members wanted to meet the chief minister but the police did not allow them.
Angry over the police denial, they sat on a dharna from about 11 AM to 5 PM, Samal said.
As the tension mounted, additional forces were deployed in the Secretariat.