Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 18: The J&K Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) today hit out at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his recent remarks on the protests by daily wagers, asserting that the employees’ movement is a “struggle for rights and survival, not politics.”
Responding to Abdullah’s comments during a press conference here, EJAC UT General Secretary Sajad Ahmad Parray said the committee represents nearly 4.5 lakh employees, including daily wagers and pensioners, and functions as a non-political platform committed to safeguarding employees’ rights.
“EJAC is the voice of employees and not a worker or slave of any political party. Our struggle is purely for the resolution of long-pending issues concerning daily wagers and other categories of employees,” Parray said.
Click here to watch video
He maintained that the protests are neither new nor politically driven, recalling that under successive Governments, employees have staged peaceful demonstrations, strikes, and hunger protests to press for the implementation of the 5th, 6th and 7th Pay Commissions, release of arrears, enhancement of retirement age and regularisation of daily wagers.
“Instead of addressing genuine grievances, allegations of political motivation are repeatedly levelled against protesting employees. This is unfortunate and diverts attention from the real issues,” he said.
Highlighting the plight of daily wagers, Parray said a worker earning around Rs 9,000 per month is struggling to meet basic household expenses amid rising inflation.
“From electricity bills under smart metering to medical treatment of elderly parents and expenses related to life-threatening diseases like cancer and dialysis, survival has become extremely difficult. If employees raise their voice under such circumstances, how can it be termed political?” he asked.
Parray, however, welcomed the Chief Minister’s reported willingness to resolve the issue through dialogue and expressed hope that the Government would act with sincerity and compassion.
“We hope that through constructive engagement, the issue of daily wagers will be resolved once and for all, restoring dignity and justice to thousands of families,” he said.
The EJAC reiterated that it would continue its peaceful and democratic struggle until the genuine demands of employees and daily wagers are addressed in letter and spirit.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
