SANGRUR, Oct. 11 -- Government employees, pensioners, and honorarium workers, including mid-day meal, ASHA, and anganwadi staff, staged a protest in Sangrur, blocking traffic on the Patiala-Bathinda National Highway for an hour. Under the joint banner of the Punjab Mulazim and Pensioners Sanjha Front and Mulazim Manch Punjab, protesters took out a rally in Sangrur, accusing the state government of failing to fulfil its promises. The protesters rejected an invitation from the civil administration to meet the chief secretary, insisting they will only negotiate directly with the chief minister. They further announced a two-day collective leave on October 21-22, followed by planned demonstrations during the Vidhan Sabha session from October 22 to 27. Employee union leaders criticised the Punjab government's recent 8% dearness allowance (DA) announcement, accusing it of creating a narrative that all worker and pensioner issues have been resolved. The leaders said during the September 18 meeting, the CM had promised another meeting with the coordination committee in the first week of October to resolve their demands. However, the government has now refused this meeting. The union's key demands include the immediate release of DA instalments and arrears, the restoration of the old pension scheme, and the regularisation of contractual and outsourced staff. HTC...