PHE workers stage demonstration, pledge to storm into Modi’s rally

PHE daily wagers staging protest rally in Jammu on Monday. -Excelsior/Rakesh
PHE daily wagers staging protest rally in Jammu on Monday. -Excelsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 7: The daily rated, consolidated and ITI trained workers of PHE department today held strong protest demonstration at Press Club near main Tawi bridge today and pledged to storm into PM Modi’s rally being held near Vijaypur on January 15.
Though the protesting PHE workers intended to move towards Civil Secretariat for conducting `gherao’ but their march was foiled by the strong police contingent near Dogra Chowk.
A large number of PHE workers, who are on strike since Sept 7, 2018, assembled at Exhibition Ground near Press Club in the morning. The workers from all the PHE Divisions and Sub Divisions of Jammu district, besides Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi etc. in thousands under the leadership, Tanveer Hussain raised slogans in support of their demands. Some of them were also carrying banners and placards in hands.
They planned to conduct `Gherao’ of Civil Secretariat. After holding protest demonstration there for sometime, they moved towards Dogra Chowk and JP Chowk (Gumat). But a strong police contingent restricted their movement and confined them up to the Exhibition area only. They disrupted movement of traffic near Dogra Chowk for some time. They were shouting loud slogans in support of their demands and also against the Governor Administration. Many of them were carrying banners depicting their demands of release of wages and their regularization. They also shouted slogans against Chief Engineer, Commissioner/ Secretary PHE, I&FC and the concerned Advisor.
Tanveer Hussain, president and several other trade unionists addressed the gathering and strongly criticized the higher authorities for not releasing their wages for the last about four years. They alleged that neither the Govt completed process of their regularization, nor it released wages of the workers despite assurances even on the floor of the Assembly House and outside by the previous Govt. They alleged that their families have been left for starvation. Even they are unable to pay the school fees of their children and feed them. They pointed out that there are about 22,000 such workers who await Govt response. They said that Administration had given them one week time but even after 14 days, nothing has been done this regard. The thousands of PHE workers pledged to storm into the grand rally of Prime Minister will and stage protest demonstration in front of him. Senior leaders Deepak Gupta, Subhash Chander, Manjit Singh, Vijat Kumar and others also spoke on the occasion.

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