Kolkata/IBNS: In an escalation of the protests against the Trinamool Congress government, state employees who have been demanding a hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) went on a digital strike on Saturday.

Digital strike or non-cooperation means the employees will not respond to any work-related WhatsApp messages.

The employees will also not spend any data on mobile or laptop for work.

Prior to the digital non-cooperation, various members of the West Bengal government employees' association went on a strike on the same issue on Mar 10.

The strike had received mixed response.

In the last state budget, Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya had announced a 3 percent hike in DA attracting a negative reaction from the government employees.

The government employees' indefinite sit-in protest near Shahid Minar in downtown Kolkata entered the 51st day and their hunger strike reached the 37th day.

Indian Secular Front (ISF) lone MLA Naushad Siddique on Saturday joined the employees' protest at Shahid Minar on Saturday morning.