Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Oct 10: Even as deadlock between the employees and the Government continued, the Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Omar Abdullah today unanimously decided not to oppose the bail pleas of employee including their leaders, who have been detained in various jails under Essential Services Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO).
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR, “most of the Cabinet colleagues held the view point that the situation shouldn’t be exacerbated further by adopting a rigid approach towards employees, who were equal partners in the functioning of the Government. But the employees also need to give up the path of agitation and understand the limitation of the Government”.
Senior Ministers, who participated in the Cabinet meeting confirmed, “instructions will be issued to Government functionaries not to oppose bail pleas of about 100 employees, who have been incarcerated. While the Government was willing to hold deliberations on all issues, they were determined not to accept the confrontational attitude of employees”.
Meanwhile, signs of thaw were visible from both the quarters as sources in Government and employees categorically stated that none was interested in ‘confrontation’ and confessed that issues ought to be resolved amicably on the negotiation table.
Rift among the agitating employees has also come to the fore, with one faction of the employees today openly declaring that all the agitational programme of Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) had been deferred. The other faction has astonishingly reacted to this announcement and emphasized that the employees will continue with their agitation till their demands are met and their colleagues are released.
Several Cabinet colleagues also stated that the talks between the two sides had ended because of rigid attitude adopted by some of the employee leaders.
“Most of the issues confronting the employees had already been discussed with the Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC), which had been given the mandate by the Government to talk to employees”, said a Minister adding, “however, even after the talks were concluded, the employees leaders went for a volte-face and announced an agitational calendar much to the surprise of the Government.”
“Even as the Government was still open for talks and had authorized Chief Secretary, Iqbal Khandey to meet the representatives of employees, it will refuse to take diktats from anyone”, said a senior Minister.
Meanwhile, a city court has remanded over 50 employees who have been arrested by police for taking out protest demonstration to police custody till October 14, a spokesman of the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) said. The Government had invoked ESMO on September 29.
JCC Convenor, Rouf Ahmad Bhat, while expressing concern over the detention of their leaders, stated, “we also don’t want any confrontation and want to amicably resolve all issues facing employees. The matter can be sorted out on the negotiation table and the Government should not adopt rigid approach”.
“The Government should also release all of our colleagues, who have been put behind the bars for fighting for our justified cause”, he hastened to add.
Castigating the faction of employees headed by Gafoor Dar, which has declared to defer the strike, he said, “this faction can’t unilaterally withdraw the strike without holding consultation with other colleagues and we vow to continue with our protests.”
Expressing solidarity with the jailed employees’ leaders, who are on a hunger strike in Central Jail, he said, “the health of these employees is also deteriorating and unfortunately, in several cases the Government has issued suspension orders of employees. The employees across the State today observed as solidarity day with jailed employees by wearing black band during office hours as mark of protest. Tomorrow, the employees will observe October 11 as “memorandum day”, impressing upon them to submit their individual memorandums to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah through mail/fax/speed post/personal delivery”.
Meanwhile, Gafoor Dar, State President J&K National Trade Union Front (EJAC Front), who was released from judicial custody today by Government after a JCC leadership meeting held with Chief Secretary, Iqbal Khandey, addressing media persons said, “all agitational programme of JCC are deferred till December 2013 as per the yesterday’s decision of JCC leaders with Chief Secretary at Srinagar”.
“All the Trade Union leaders including those, who have retired from government service should come forward for a broader JCC platform for further struggle if the Government failed to fulfill the agreement by December”, he said adding, “I thank the employees and worker for their cooperation during five days agitation programme (from 1st October to 5th October)”.
He further added that a meeting of JCC leaders was held with Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey regarding the demands of the Government employees.
Khandey re-assured for implementation of the demands including enhancement of retirement age from 58 years to 60 years from January 1, 2014, removal of pay anomalies of different cadre and regularization of left out DRW’s and regularization policy for casual labour/ITI trained, need base workers, who have been engaged after 1994, and budgetary support for PSU, Dar informed.
Among others present were Rajinder Kumar, Nazir Ahmad Molvi, Vikramjeet Singh, Vijay Chowdhary, Ranjeet Singh Rana and Muneer Ahmad.
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