Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 10: Police today resorted to lathicharge and detained some female multipurpose health workers (FMPHWs) as well as members of Jammu Kashmir Medical Employees Federation (JKMEF), who were sitting on the venue of inauguration function of Government Medical College Kathua, to submit a memorandum to Union Health Minister, JP Nadda, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti and Minister of Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat.
Hundreds of employees from various districts of Jammu province this morning reached Kathua where inaugural function of Government Medical College, Kathua was scheduled to be held in presence of Union Health Minister and Chief Minister and others functionaries of the State Government, to submit a memorandum to Union Minister after the conclusion of the programme. However after Nadda left the venue the workers tried to block the vehicle of Bali Bhagat forcing police to resort the lathicharge.
Two female multipurpose workers and two BJP workers were also detained by the police but later they were released. Two female Multi purpose worker and one male employees were injured also and later they were hospitalized. One of them also fainted. They were later referred to GMC for specialized treatment.
The protesting female multipurpose workers shouting slogans in support of their demands criticized the authoritarian approach of the Government which has not even given audience to them and showed any concern to redress their demands. They also tried to block the National Highway but police foiled their attempt.
However a handout issued by the JKMEF said that many employees of two associations were arrested and got injured in unprovoked lathicharge by police. It said the employees were on peaceful protest at the venue of the inauguration of GMC Kathua and wanted to handover the memorandum to Mr Nadda and CM but police resorted to lathicharge on them.
It said acting in an authoritarian manner, Kathua police detained a number of employees without any reason, as all of them were either sitting at the venue of programme or going to attend the same. In the lathicharge, a number of employees were injured. Two employees namely Kamla Devi and Karmo Devi received serious injuries and after receiving first aid from District Hospital Kathua they were referred to GMC Jammu for further treatment, statement added.
Later, a team of JKMEF led by Sushil Sudan, president, JKMEF, along with hundreds of employees took out a protest march through main Street of Kathua and reached police station Kathua, where they were detained and later released.
Meanwhile, as part of three-day pen/tool down strike of health employees, a complete shutdown was observed today on third consecutive day in Jammu Division except emergency services. All revenue generating counters remained closed, even the OPD Slips were not issued. Health Services at Government Hospitals at Gandhi Nagar and Sarwal, LRPU Gangyal and other major/minor health institutions in the Division remained paralyzed. Complete strike was observed throughout the Division and the same will continue.
Taking a serious cognizance of brutal forced used by the police against health employees and Government’s apathy and non seriousness towards the demands of FMPHWs, JKMEF has extended its strike further till June 14 and gave a call of ‘Jammu Chalo’ on June 14.
Meanwhile, J&K Pardesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has condemned the repression let loose by the State Government on the agitating Female Multipurpose Health Workers (FMPHWs) today at Kathua and said coalition Government has no right to curb the democratic rights of the people to protest peacefully for the acceptance of their demands.
In a joint statement issued here, JKPCC Spokesman Ravinder Sharma, former ministers Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla and Manohar Lal Sharma said it is the right of the people to agitate peacefully for their demands. However, ever since this Government has taken over, such protests have been ruthlessly curbed by the use of brute force. They said the only answer with the Government to the demands of various sections of society is the police lathis, adding that the voice of the people could not be crushed like this.
They condemned the action of the Government in which the protesters were brutally lathi-charged, who were protesting for their genuine demands. They urged upon the Government to consider their genuine demands on priority, instead of giving them inhuman treatment.
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