Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 22: The police foiled the Civil Secretariat `Gherao’ programme of the PHE daily rated, ITI trained and CP workers as the strong contingent of police and para-military force personnel resorted to cane charge them near Indira Chowk here this afternoon.
About half a dozen workers including president of All J&K PHE Daily Wagers/ CP Workers Association Tanveer Hussain were injured during scuffle with the cops. The PHE workers who are on the strike for the last 41st day and sitting on dharna outside the office of Chief Engineer PHE, B C Road earlier held strong protest demonstration in the morning and then after staging protests for several hours they started protest march towards Civil Secretariat.
They were carrying banners and placards in their hands, shouting slogans in support of their demands. They were demanding regularization of all the daily rated/ CP workers and release of their pending wages for the last over 35 months. As they reached near Indira Chowk, a strong contingent of police and para-military force men intercepted them and did not allow to move ahead. The cops resorted to mild lathi-charge on the agitating workers. Association president Tanveer Hussain and some others were trapped in concertina wire laid on the road and also got injuries. The police foiled their protest march and the agitating workers had to disperse. About half a dozen workers were said to be injured during scuffle with cops.
Later, Tanveer was also hospitalized. He said that after this police action, Commissioner/ Secretary PHE, I&FC Sanjeev Verma invited the Union members for meeting. He said that Mr Verma claimed that Govt has already principally agreed the demands of the employees and it would take few more days of solving the issue. He however, said that employees decided to go ahead with the protest programme till their demands are met.
Tanveer Hussain and several other trade unionists also addressed the gathering and alleged that despite assurances by senior officers their issues have remained un-resolved. They demanded that a policy be framed for the regularization of all type of temporary workers.
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