Chandigarh, March 5 — A day after the Punjab government suspended 14 revenue officers for refusing to resume work, protesting officials called off their strike on Wednesday following a meeting in Moga.
The Punjab Revenue Officers Association decided to withdraw their protest, citing the ongoing farmers’ agitation and its impact on law and order.
“We were working but had stopped registry work. This will resume from Thursday,” said Lachman Singh, officiating president of the association.
The strike, which disrupted property registrations, was sparked by the Vigilance Bureau’s action against revenue officials in Ludhiana over a fraudulent land deal. The officers claimed such actions were creating “an atmosphere of fear.”
On Tuesday evening, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Anurag Verma suspended five tehsildars and nine naib tehsildars—six posted in Moga, six in Muktsar, and two in Ferozepur.
The state government had warned that those refusing to return to duty would face disciplinary action.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized the protest, calling it an attempt to shield corrupt officials.
“There is zero tolerance against corruption,” he stated, adding that revenue officers should not think they could blackmail the government by halting work.
