Patna, Jan 8 : An indefinite strike by more than 300,000 government employees in Bihar, which entered its second day Thursday, is likely to go on as the state government has taken a tough stand and decided not to concede their demands.

The employees went on indefinite strike Wednesday, demanding implementation of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission in "letter and spirit" after failure of talks with Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who also holds the finance portfolio.

The striking employees have ignored the state government's "no work no pay" warning. "We will not end our strike unless our demands accepted by the government," the Bihar State Non-Gazetted Employees Federation (BSNGEF) General Secretary Manjul Kumar Das said.

Das claimed that functioning of the government, from the block to the secretariat level, had come to a standstill due to the strike.

"We want payment of arrears according to the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations from Jan 1, 2006 and we will not accept anything less than that," he said, adding the government's proposal to pay the arrears with effect from Apr 1, 2007 was not acceptable to them.

However, the Bihar High School Teachers Association and Bihar Inspector Supervisor Association are among some employees' associations that have not joined the strike.

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