Police foils protest march of PHE workers to Civil Secretariat

Strong police contingent trying to stop PHE workers during protest rally at Indira Chowk in Jammu on Monday. -Excelsior/ Rakesh
Strong police contingent trying to stop PHE workers during protest rally at Indira Chowk in Jammu on Monday. -Excelsior/ Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, March 14: The police foiled the protest march of daily wagers and casual labourers of PHE/ Jal Shakti department when they were advancing towards Civil Secretariat here today.
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Official sources said that a large number of PHE daily wagers led by Ravi Hans and other Union leaders, assembled in the office complex of Chief Engineer at BC Road in the morning and started protest demonstration. They were shouting slogans in support of their demands.
Carrying banners and placards in hands, the protesting workers were demanding their regularization and release of pending wages. They alleged that the workers are facing exploitation. They are not being paid regularly while their families are facing starvation. Despite, assurance by the Lt Governor in presence of MP Jugal Kishore and BJP president Ravinder Raina last year, their issue was not resolved even after the passage of one year, despite the fact that they had sought three months time.
The protesting PHE workers from various areas of Jammu region after staging protest at BC Road complex, started moving towards Civil secretariat. When they reached at Indira Chowk , a strong contingent of police stopped them. The workers showed some resistance but they were not allowed to move ahead. They started raising loud slogans against the LG’s Administration and BJP besides its leaders. After showing resistance the PHE workers were made to disperse by police.
Earlier, several trade union leaders also addressed the gathering and strongly criticized the BJP Govt at the Centre, Jammu based leaders and LG’s Administration for ignoring the working class and their sheer exploitation. They alleged that LG’s administration was trying to suppress the voice of Trade unions and employees in J&K.