Civil Defence Volunteers Demand Job Security in West Bengal Protest

In Salt Lake, West Bengal, hundreds of Civil Defence volunteers took to the streets on Wednesday to demand job security and a minimum of 30 days of work each month. The demonstration unfolded outside Bikash Bhawan, the education department headquarters.

The protesters, hailing from various districts, caused significant traffic disruptions as they asserted that current employment arrangements offer only 14 days of work. They claimed this leaves them financially unstable for the remainder of the month and called for a revision of a contentious government directive from July 13 of the previous year.

Volunteers carried placards and banners as they recounted being met with police force while attempting to congregate near the office. Despite having served during critical times like the COVID-19 pandemic and Cyclone Amphan, many said their roles are now largely reduced to election duties, making sustainable employment difficult.