SRINAGAR : Work in Jammu and Kashmir government offices was paralysed today due to strike, called by Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), alleging that government has failed to implement the agreements.
The issue of striking employees was also raised in the Legislative Assembly by Communist Party of India (M) and Bharatiya Janata Party members.
Meanwhile, opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded immediate release of employees and leaders, taken into custody during the past few days.
Work in all government offices was badly affected as employees stayed away in response to call by JCC, demanding increase in the retirement age from present 58 years to 60 years, regularisation of daily wagers and contractual, anganwari workers, ASHA workers and release of salaries of different departments.
The JCC has threatened to intensify the agitation if leaders and other employees arrested were not released immediately.
The committee also said it was ready for dialogue on the issue with the government.
The JCC has given fresh programme for agitation last week after talks between the government and them failed.
Calling for immediate release of the employees and their leaders who were jailed in connection with their agitation, the PDP said that the government must change its attitude towards different sections of the society including employees.
In a statement, the party Chief Spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said a government that is in permanent state of war with its own employees can never hope to deliver and solve problems of the people.
That is one major reason why this government has flopped on every front of performance, he said.
Mr Akhtar said it was unfortunate as much as disastrous for the state that the government had not been able to convince its own employees about its intentions and policies towards their welfare. He said it was any body’s guess as to what would be the fate of governance in a situation of confrontation between the government and its own tools which has now assumed almost a permanent status. Ever since the present government assumed the charge, it is on a war path with every section of the society and not even its own employees are satisfied with the condition of their working, he said.
The party said every time the government makes an announcement it fails to convince everybody, he said and alleged that the loss of credibility of government promises is exemplified by the continuous stir of employees whether they are permanent, temporary, daily wage, casual or any other category everybody has a grouse which the government tries to sort out not by resolving through civilized means but by silencing the voices through force, he said.
He said credibility of the present regime headed by National Conference (NC) has reached at its lowest ebb because this dispensation has lost faith of the common masses due to misdeeds and rampant corruption.
There is total chaos and anarchy because the present regime has failed to bring transparency and accountability in the government and had even failed to address the genuine demand of its employees, he said.
Mr Akhtar said whether it is the political opponent or the unemployed youth or its own employees the government engages with every section of the society through force and coercion.
He said it is a phenomenal failure of the government that it has not been able to carry along its own employees. He said the least the government can now do is to release the arrested employees immediately and reduce tension in the offices.
(AGENCIES)
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