JCC Calls For Lock-Out Today
SRINAGAR: Police on Thursday used batons and water cannons on agitating government employees who tried to march towards Chief Ministers residence to press for their demand of retirement age enhancement and end to pay anomalies.
Heeding the call of the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), hundreds of employees joined the march from Sher-e-Kashmir Park towards high-security Gupkar Road residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah against the failure of the government to fulfil their demands. However, police swung into action and dispersed the protesting employees by resorting to baton charge.
Police also used coloured water on protesters. Dozens of employees, including some union leaders, were detained by the police. Scuffle between police and protestors created panic and traffic movement was affected for around 30 minutes in the area.
The government signed an agreement with the JCC leaders to solve all those issues pertaining to sixth pay commission in a time bound manner. However, the government failed to implement it, an employee leader said.
JCC president Abdul Qayoom Wani said that if state government fails to fulfill JCC demands immediately the next protests will be massive. The protest will shake the roots of this government. We wont be responsible for that, he added.
Meanwhile the state government employees will observe strike tomorrow (Friday). All the government offices will remain closed for the day, he added.
Fulfill pending demands without any delay: Tarigami
Expressing serious concern over non serious approach adopted by the state government to fulfil long pending demands of the government employees, the CPI (M) State Secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has said the agreements reached between the government and the employee unions should be implemented in letter and spirit without any further delay.
While commending the police action against the protesting employees today, Tarigami has said instead of fulfilling demands of the employees, the authorities have become habitual of dispersing the agitating employees with the use of disproportionate force. In Jammu and Kashmir, unfortunately the use of force to quell peaceful protesters has become a precedent now. This tactics need to be changed in the better interests of government as well as the people, he observed.
He said the peaceful agitation is the legitimate right of working class and constitution of India provide this security thus government should check Police interference in these kinds of protest.
The CPI (M) leader said the coalition government should adopt seriousness as far as employees and workers are concerned and implement in latter and spirit the agreements reached between various unions including Joint Coordination Committee (JCC).
The demands including removal of pay anomalies especially in clerical category besides regularization of daily wagers and contractual staff who have completed seven years of service should be met as per the agreement.
Tarigami also demanded immediate release of detained employees who were protesting for fulfilment of their pending demands.
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