KL Report
SRINAGAR
A day after protesting government employees were released on bail, Abdul Qayoom Wani, senior leader Joint Consultative Committee (JCC)—an amalgam of various employees’ unions Saturday sought personal intervention from the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for fulfillment of ‘long pending’ demands of employees in the state.
Addressing media persons here this afternoon, Wani alleged that some ministers in the present dispensation in the state are creating hurdles in an amicable agreement between employees and the government. “There are some ministers who want to create gulf between the government and the employees. Some ministers like Taj Mohi-u-Din Sahib issue statements which are contradictory to their own party positions on employee demands,” Wani told a local news agency, KNS.
The JCC senior leader pledged to take the employees’ struggle to its logical conclusion. Wani said, “I strongly condemn the government action against the protesting employees in the state. Let me make it clear to the people at the helm of affairs in this state that employees won’t succumb to any pressure, threats or any intimidation. We will strive for our just and genuine demands come what may.”
He said the gulf between the government and the employees is because of ‘anti-employee and autocratic mindset of the present government’. “The government wants to create Ikhwani (infamous counter insurgency force of the government) culture within the employees’ movement. This can never be acceptable to us,” the JCC senior leader added.
Wani warned as well as criticized senior bureaucrats and officers who according to him intimidated employees on the direction of the government. Wani told KNS, “JCC will very soon expose these officers and bureaucrats before the employees. By arresting JCC leadership and other employees, the government itself has exposed its tyrannical and anti-employees policies and hollow promises before the employees and the public.”
The JCC senior leader maintained that it was the government’s anti employees policy its deceptive attitude which compelled the employees to take to roads. “Instead of fulfilling their long pending demands, the government put employees behind bars. Now the people should judge, who is a tyrant and who is a victim? Even the government didn’t allow the family members meet with the detained employees showing its autocratic mindset. But this gross violation of human rights can never deter employees from pursuing their just demands.”
Wani said that JCC is firm in its stand that no threats, warning or intimidation will break its resolve and the entire leadership of the employees are determined to take their struggle to its logical conclusion. “We appeal over 50, 00, 00 employees of the state to remain steadfast in their commitment towards achieving their goal. And the goals can only be achieved once they implement the JCC programmes on the ground in letter and spirit,” Wani appealed through KNS.
He said that JCC has decided to defer its protests and other programmes till coming Eid-ul-Adha and after the festival is over, the executive body of the Committee will meet and chalk out the future course of action.
“We are not interested in confrontation but we appeal the government that if it wants a peaceful solution of the problem, it should fulfill the pending demands of the employees as per the agreement reached between the two sides,” Wani said while appealing the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to use his office for the purpose.
The JCC senior leader also appealed the employees to remain united and do not allow the vested interests to create any wedge.
Pertinently, over 90 government employees including the JCC leadership were released on bail on Friday evening. Among its various demands, JCC seeks enhancement in retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies and regularization of the daily-wage and casual labourers.
