Lucknow: About 18 lakh employees and officers of UP government, who went on a flash strike yesterday, will on Friday boycott work in protest against attempts to get the SC/ST quota bill passed in Rajya Sabha.

The UP government employees’ stir will continue on Friday.

According to president of the Sarvjan Hitai Sanrakshan Samiti, Shailendra Dubey, about 18-lakh-strong workforce of the state government, barring essential services like hospitals, power and transport, who boycotted work on Thursday evening, would continue indefinitely.

A demonstration against the move would be held in front of the Assembly as also at the district headquarters today.

A rally of government employees was also taken out in the state capital on Thursday to register opposition to the move and a ‘virodh sabha’ (protest assembly) was later held at the General Post Office (GPO).

The employees affiliated to various worker unions, teachers and other departments are taking part in the protest.

Samajwadi Party MPs on Thursday staged a walkout from Rajya Sabha following a directive from the Chair to two of its members to leave the House for causing disruption over the quota bill.

However, SP, which is in power in UP, has made it clear that it will continue to support UPA government notwithstanding strong action taken against its members in Rajya Sabha when they were protesting against consideration of the bill.