KL Report
SRINAGAR
A day after state government invited striking patwaries for talks, Patwar Association said they would hold conditional talks with the government.
It said that it would not allow government now to buy time by making ‘false promises.’ “We will sit across the table with government for talks but it (Government) has to give in writing that it’ll fulfill our three demands right now. We have witnessed that government is buying time after making hallow assurances since last long time,” Association President Afaq Ahmad told a local news agency, KNS.
Pertinently, Secretary Revenue Department Vinod Koul had told KNS that government was ready to hold talks with patwaris.
Accusing government of backtracking from its promises, agitating Patwari Association who are currently on indefinite strike said, “We have been on strike for last one month and it seems government is in no mood to address our demands.”
Minister for Revenue (Independent charge) Aijaz Ahmad Khan had sought time for arriving to any decision, citing the reason of non availability of Finance Minster Abdul Rahim Rather in the state.
“Our demands were accepted not only by then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad but also the incumbent government. Still they (government) are reluctant to resolve the issue,” Afaq said.
He added that the government had already sought time till March 31, “but failed to deliver which has forced them to go for strike.” The Association said that even before the strike, they had served a notice to the government giving them 10 days to address their demands, but according to the Association President the government showed cold response which left them with no option other than to come on roads.
The Association has been demanding the retrospective effect to the pay anomaly that was granted to them buy the Azad government apart from other demands including enhancing the attempts from 4 to 6 for departmental exams for Naib Tehsildar, providing office accommodation to patwaris.
