Kolkata, Dec 22 (IANS): Armed with an order from the Calcutta High Court, the West Bengal government employees, under the umbrella of Joint Form of State Government Employees, started a three-day agitation in front of the state secretariat of Nabanna from Friday demanding dearness allowances (DA) at par with the central government employees and the arrears accrued on it.

The agitation programme starts just a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a four per cent enhanced DA for the state government. However, the joint forum has described the increase as just an eyewash since even after the increase the gap with their central government employees on this count stands at 36 percentage points.

Initially, the police authorities denied permission for holding the three-day agitation on grounds that Section 144 is imposed in and around the state secretariat round the year. However, the joint forum moved the Calcutta High Court for permission, and on Thursday the single- judge bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha gave conditional permission to the joint form to organise its protest programme in front of the state secretariat.

Tension mounted in front of the state secretary on Friday morning, as the police raised barricades to prevent the protesters from approaching the bus depot in front of the state secretariat, the proposed venue for their three- day agitation.

Being stopped, the agitating state government employees started a sit-in demonstration on the streets following which there was traffic congestion in the area.

As the cops asked them to move away from the place there was a heated exchange of words between the cops and the agitating state government employees.

The joint forum convener Bhaskar Ghosh said that since they have the requisite permission of the Calcutta High Court, they are determined to hold the agitation at the scheduled place only. Finally, the police removed the barricades and the agitation started at the venue.