Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 4: The ATM guards of J&K Bank, whose services were earlier terminated, expressed their grievances today, saying that they have been left to fend for themselves while their families suffer.
During a protest held in this regard, the fired ATM guards also accused the political parties in Kashmir of maintaining silence over their issue.
Scores of these guards appeared in the Press Enclave today and raised slogans in favour of the reinstatement. During the protest, they accused J&K Bank of pushing them to the brink of begging to feed their families.
“We have been working together for years, and we used to earn our livelihood through J&K Bank, which used to pay us over Rs 8000 per month. Now, they have installed some machines and are working towards digitization, showing us the door. We have got nothing now,” said Muhammad Yaqoob Shah, one of the terminated ATM guards.
He added that the current administration, as well as the political parties in Kashmir, are seen making comments on every other matter, “but what about us? Why don’t we have anyone to raise our issue? We have been left to beg to feed our families; we have been literally brought on the road by J&K Bank,” he said.
It is to be noted here that the issue concerns over 300 people who have now been shown the door, even as they allege that, as per the contract with the company, they were supposed to work for 15 more months.
“333 ATM guards have been shown the door, leaving them unemployed and their 333 families. We had a contract of 3 years with the security company, and still, we have nearly 15 months left. Even for the 15 months for which we have worked, we have not been paid yet,” said another terminated guard, Naseer Ahmad Malik.
The protesting ATM guards urged LG Manoj Sinha and other officials to intervenes into the matter.
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