Around 1,200 veterinary inspectors from across Punjab staged a major protest against the state government for their long-pending demands. On the call of the Punjab State Veterinary Inspectors Association, inspectors from across the state gathered outside the Live Stock Complex in Mohali. They first held a demonstration in front of the office of the Director of Animal Husbandry and later marched towards the residence of the Punjab CM.Association state President Gurdeep Singh Bassi and general secretary Vipin Kumar Goyal accused the state government and the bureaucracy of the Animal Husbandry Department for deliberately delaying solutions to the cadre’s issues. The inspectors have been demanding a clear promotion channel, correction of pay-scale errors, proper pay for new recruits, formation of a Registered Veterinary Inspector Council, recognition of 18 months of service for those recruited in 2011 and rights for District Veterinary Inspectors.The leaders said that despite the Cabinet Sub-Committee agreeing to resolve their demands, the Finance and Personnel Departments were raising unnecessary objections.  They said that repeated meetings with officials had also failed and declared that the cadre would continue its struggle against the “anti-employee” attitude of the government. After the rally, the association held a protest march towards the CM’s residence. However, they were stopped at distance while trying to enter Chandigarh.State leaders Gurdeep Singh Chhanna, Paramjit Singh Sohi, Rajiv Malhautra, Daljit Singh Chahal, Gurmeet Singh Mehta, Dharamvir Singh Sran, Hardeep Singh Giana, Satnam Singh, Praveen Kumar, Hardeep Singh, Rajan Kamboj, Gurpreet Singh, Sukhwinder Singh, Damandeep Singh, Harbans Singh, Harjot Singh Saini, Gurjit Singh, Rajinder Kamboj and Gurpreet Singh took part in the protest.