JTC, SKF call off chain hunger strike, continue protest

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 29: The Jagti Tenement Committee (JTC) and Soan Kashmir Front (SKF) today called off its chain hunger strike which entered 28th day today but said the protest and sit in dharna will continue till demands are met.
Announcing this at the venue of protest at Jagti today Shadi Lal Pandita president JTC and SKF said that from today no member will go on hunger strike but our sit -in ,agitation, protest and rallies will continue till the demands are met.
Pandita said that there will be continuous protest by JTC and SKF members near Lane No 7 in Jagti township. Today protesters blocked Jagti road today for an hour and urged the Government to meet the demands immediately. He said if the Government does not meet the demands, JTC and SKF will hold another protest on Sunday at Jagti township.
Pandita said it will be followed by peaceful protest at Raj Bhavan Jammu for which the date will be decided soon. He said it is the 28th day of protest dharna, in support of the demands which include increasing the monthly cash assistance of relief holders from Rs13,000 to Rs 25,000 per month per family.
Pandita said that Government Jobs should be given to those families where there is no Government employee. He also demanded providing of free ration to those pensioners whose pension is meagre.
Raj Kumar Tickoo unit president, JTC and convener of Soan Kashmir Front said that Government should address persistent demands which included 20,000 Jobs be given for unemployed KP youth including 5000 class fourth jobs, compensation and free loans to be given to over aged youth.
Rakesh Ambardar chief organizer of JTC and SKF demanded rehabilitation of displaced Pandits in three Satellite townships near Baramulla, Srinagar and Anantnag, every displaced family having agriculture land in Valley be compensated for loss of crop suffered during over 30 years of exile, migrant youth of camps and non camps be given Jobs in Police Department and on spot recruitment drive should be held, payment of balance ex-gratia of the gutted houses.