Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Oct 15: Police today foiled State Government employees’ march to Civil Secretariat, Srinagar by detaining over 200 of them, including their top leadership, and charged batons and used water cannons to disperse them.
Hundreds of State Government employees led by the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) members gathered at Partap Park this morning to protest against the non-fulfillment of the agreement which they had reached with the Government.
As the State Government employees started their march towards the Civil Secretariat, a large contingent of police intercepted them on Residency Road near Abi Guzar. Over 100 of them were detained by the police including JCC leaders Abdul Qayoom Wani, Mohammad Khursheed Alam and Abdul Gafoor Dar. They were lodged in Police Stations Kothibagh, Ram Munshi Bagh and Maisuma.
Police also charged batons and chased the other employees who managed to regroup and were intercepted at Jehangir Chowk by a contingent of police. Police also used water cannons to chase these employees.
However, a group of around 100 employees managed to reach Civil Secretariat despite efforts by the police to stop them. They were led by JCC leaders Farooq Ahmad Trali and Shabir Hussain of SKIMS. Police charged batons and bundled them in the police vehicles. They were taken to police Station Shaheed Gunj.
The protests by the employees’ disrupted traffic movement in Lal Chowk and adjacent areas of Srinagar city. The traffic was diverted through M A Road but there was traffic jam for about three hours in the area.
In order to press for the implementation of the agreement, the employee leaders have called for protests by the JCC leadership outside Civil Secretariat in Jammu on November 5 and at Divisional Commissioner’s Office in Srinagar. On November 6, they have called for pen down and tool down strike across the State.
The employees’ demands include raising of their retirement age from the existing 58 years to 60 years to bring it at par with that of the Central Government employees. The other demands are for regularization of services of daily wage and ad-hoc employees working in various Government departments and payment of arrears as per the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.
Addressing a rally of the protesting employees at Partap Park, the JCC leader, Abdul Qayoom Wani, while supporting enhancement of retirement age said: “The enhancement of the existing retirement age would not affect the employment chances of the educated unemployed youth.”
The JCC leader, Mohammad Khurshid Alam, said that if the Chief Secretary and other Central Government employees can serve up to 60 years and asked why can’t the poor peon who has to serve a cup of tea to the Chief Secretary in the office?”
The JCC leader Wani has appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene and get the agreement between his Government and employees implemented. He threatened intensified agitation if the Government fails to fulfill the demands of the employees.
While describing the non-fulfillment of the agreement by the Government as dishonesty, Wani said that employees will be again forced to come out on roads. He urged the Government to resolve the issue or face agitation.
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