Arjun Sudhail speaking in support of Haryana sanitation and municipal employees’ demands.
State spokesperson Arjun Sudhail says employees’ key demands, including regularisation, an end to contractual practices in sanitation and sewer work, and recruitment against vacant posts, should be accepted without further delay
YAMUNANAGAR | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) state spokesperson Arjun Sudhail has extended his party’s support to sanitation and municipal employees who have been on strike across Haryana since August 6, 2026. He has demanded that the BJP-led state government immediately implement the agreement reached with employee organisations on May 13, 2026, and warned that the INLD would join the workers in a larger agitation if their demands were not addressed within a week.
Reacting to the continuing strike, Sudhail said sanitation and municipal employees had been protesting for the implementation of demands that employee organisations claim were accepted during discussions with the government. According to the employee organisations, consensus had been reached on 17 demands, but the necessary government orders for their implementation had still not been issued.
He alleged that the failure to issue formal orders amounted to a breach of the assurances given to the employees. Sudhail said the government should not delay the matter further, particularly when the strike has begun affecting sanitation services and causing inconvenience to residents in several urban areas of the state.
“The demands of sanitation and municipal employees are completely justified and deserve immediate consideration,” he said, according to the statement issued by the party.
Among the major demands highlighted by Sudhail are the regularisation of contractual or temporary employees, an end to the contractual system in sanitation and sewer-related work, and recruitment against vacant posts. He said sanitation workers perform essential public services and should not be forced to continue their agitation for demands that had already been discussed and, according to employee organisations, agreed upon.
The INLD spokesperson said the impact of the strike was becoming increasingly visible in cities and towns across Haryana. With sanitation services affected, garbage was accumulating at homes, markets, commercial areas and dumping points, creating difficulties for residents and affecting the overall civic environment.
He said the disruption had come at a particularly sensitive time because of the ongoing rainy season. Accumulated waste, stagnant water and inadequate sanitation could increase public health concerns, he argued, and the government should therefore take immediate steps to restore normal sanitation services by resolving the dispute through dialogue.
Sudhail criticised the state government, alleging that despite the growing inconvenience to the public and the concerns being raised by sanitation employees, no effective solution had yet emerged. He said the government should recognise that sanitation workers are an essential part of the urban administrative system and that a prolonged dispute would affect not only the employees but also ordinary citizens.
He further stated that instead of allowing the situation to deteriorate, the government should hold meaningful talks with representatives of the employee organisations and take a clear decision on the demands that formed part of the May 13 agreement.
According to Sudhail, issues related to employment security, regularisation and recruitment against vacant posts have a direct impact on the functioning of municipal bodies. He said adequate staffing and improved working conditions are necessary for maintaining sanitation, sewerage and other civic services efficiently.
The INLD leader also expressed concern over the alleged dependence on contractual arrangements in sanitation and sewer work. He said workers engaged in essential public services should receive greater employment security and that the government should examine the demand for ending or reducing contractual practices in these sectors.
He maintained that the strike should be resolved through dialogue rather than confrontation. “The government must take the concerns of the employees seriously and implement the commitments made to them,” the statement said.
Sudhail warned that if the government failed to act within one week, the INLD would intensify its support for the sanitation workers and participate in a larger movement alongside them.
He said the party would continue to stand with the employees and support what it described as their legitimate demands. The warning adds a political dimension to the ongoing labour dispute, as the sanitation workers’ agitation continues to affect civic services in different parts of Haryana.
The INLD spokesperson urged the BJP government to act before the situation worsens further. He said resolving the dispute at the earliest would help restore sanitation services, address the concerns of the employees and provide relief to the public.
The sanitation and municipal employees’ strike, which began on August 6, has drawn attention to issues including employee regularisation, recruitment, working conditions and the contractual system. With garbage accumulation and sanitation concerns becoming increasingly visible in affected areas, Sudhail said the state government must move quickly to engage with employee representatives and find a lasting solution.
He concluded that the government should immediately issue the required orders for the implementation of the May 13 agreement and demonstrate that commitments made to employees would be honoured. Otherwise, he warned, the INLD would stand with sanitation and municipal workers in organising a larger protest across Haryana.
