Imphal: Workers of the public works department who are currently on a ceasework staged a demonstration at the state Assembly, where the budget session is under way, on Monday.

The The All Manipur Newly Appointed PWD Employees' Association has been demanding a lifting of the "keep in abeyance" order imposed upon the employees and completion of the process of listing them in the Manipur Government Employees List so they get their salaries.

Athinpao Thaimei, spokesperson for the employees, said, "The BJP-led government gave the appointment order on April 19 last year and provided placement orders to join the next day. We joined our respective offices. But on April 29, the state imposed a keep in abeyance order."

"We have waited a year but the government has not heeded our demand. Hence, we launched our agitation on January 31," he added.

"The minister concerned told us to go to the chief minister, who asked us to meet the minister. We have been treated like chess pieces," said Thaimei.

"We have our families and have been suffering for more than a year and they are still not listening to us," he added.

Association vice-president Y. Chandrasekhar said the government had exploited them.

The recruitment results for 342 persons for grade III and IV posts were declared in 2016.

The police dispersed the agitating employees who were marching towards the Assembly at Thangmeiband Muchi Leirak, about 250 metres away.

The employees locked the entrance of the PWD office and staged a sit-in on the day the ceasework was launched.