Female cleaning workers protest at Bhagwan Mahavir University: Salaries unpaid for 3 months; contractor and administration pass the buck

Around 70 women sanitation workers employed at Surat's prominent Bhagwan Mahavir University have begun a sit-in protest on the university campus, demanding payment of salaries pending for the past three months.

The women workers, who gathered under the leadership of Sharad Zagde, general secretary of the Gujarat Sangharsh Mazdoor Union, expressed strong anger over the university administration's policies.

With the major festival of Diwali due in the next 10 days, the failure to receive their wages for so long has led to deep resentment among the workers' families.

Contractor and administration shirked responsibility According to labour union representatives, when the contractor was contacted about the outstanding salaries, he claimed that the university had not provided the funds or payment.

On the other hand, the university's administration department also acknowledged that the staff had not been paid for the past three months and directly washed its hands of responsibility.