09 January,2009 08:26 PM IST | | PTI
The oil sector strike that disrupted fuel supplies across the country was today called off, after government threatened to crackdown on agitating officers with threats of arrests and dismissals.
The strike was called off by executives of individual oil and gas companies one after the other, as the government talked tough and ruled out conceding any of their demands for higher wages while they held the country to ransom.
Expressing relief over the end to the strike, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said the officers' demands would be considered by the Group of Ministers constituted to go into it, but refused to give any assurance on taking back those who have been dismissed.
"It's not possible for me to comment on this," he said when asked whether the dismissed officers would be taken back in view of the calling off of the strike.
Nearly 70 officers belonging from ONGC and IOC have been dismissed in the last two days for not reporting to work.
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Now that the strike is withdrawn, this will teach a lesson to others who will now be dissuaded from launching such actions, Deora said.