KL Report
SRINAGAR
Work in government offices across Jammu and Kashmir was affected Monday due to strike by the employees to press for their demands which include enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years and others. The protest and strike call for three days from today was given by Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of various employees associations in the state.
The call for the state-wide strike was given by Employees Joint Consultative Committee (EJCC), an umbrella body of government employees in the state.
A large number of government employees assembled at Sher-e-Kashmir Park near Polo View and tried to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence at Sonawar, officials told GNS.
Police used water cannons and batons to disperse the protesters, they said, adding over 200 employees including some of their top leaders were detained and lodged at Kothi Bagh police station.
More than 100 employees of different state government departments including a Zonal president Teachers Forum Zone Wagoora, Abdul Aziz Malik were taken into preventive custody after they tried to march towards Civil Secretariat, Srinagar.
In Kashmir Valley, there was a complete strike in government offices, public sector undertakings and government-run educational institutes.
The employees demanded immediate implementation of the agreement, signed between the state and the organization on July 8, 2012.
“We appeal State Government not to delay the implementation of the agreement otherwise JCC will be compelled to launch a “decisive agitation” to get the demands fulfilled,” JCC senior leader and President EJAC (Q), Abdul Qayoom Wani said, adding there was a cent per cent response to the strike call.
JCC has also called for a pen-down strike on Sep 10 and 11 in support of their demands which include enhancement on retirement age from 58 to 60 years, regularization of daily rated workers, casual laborers and need based workers engaged after 1994, removal of pay anomaly of clerical cadre and budgetary support for public sector.
JCC said it will hold a meeting on September 11 for future course of action. The organization warned of intensifying the agitation if government fails to announce the implementation of the agreement at earliest.
He said the government is continuing its “criminal silence” on the issues of the employees, so there was no option left other than to protest.
Meanwhile, Qayoom Wani while condemning the innocent killings in Shopian termed it a “cold blooded murder”. “The culprits behind the killing should be brought to book so that no such incidents will be repeated in future”, he said, adding JCC will never keep mum regarding human rights violations.
“It is our prime concern to raise voice against the growing human rights violations in Kashmir,” JCC senior leader added.
