Police foils ‘Secretariat gherao’ attempt of NHM employees

NHM employees dispersing after police lathicharge at Indira Chowk in Jammu. -Excelsior/Rakesh
NHM employees dispersing after police lathicharge at Indira Chowk in Jammu. -Excelsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 11: Police today foiled NHM employees’ attempt to gherao Civi Secretariat by resorting to lathicharge on the protesting employees here at Indira Chowk.
Hundreds of employees including those working under various schemes like RNTCP and JKSACS this morning assembled at Exhibition Ground where some NHM employees including Rohit Seth, president, NHM Employees’ Association were on hunger strike on 3rd consecutive day, and thereafter in the form of a peacefully rally moved towards Civil Secretariat to gherao it.
NHM employees not only from Jammu but also from Kashmir and Ladakh also participated in the rally. Raising slogans in support of their demands like regularization of services, implementation of ‘equal pay for equal work’ orders apart from accord to ‘social security benefits’, they warned the Government not to test their patience.
However, the heavy police force deployed at Indira Chowk stopped the protesting NHM employees from moving forward. As the protestors tried to move forward ignoring restrictions by the police, the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse them. In the lathicharge, one woman employee was seriously injured while many other got minor injuries. The injured woman was shifted to GMC Jammu for treatment.
Meanwhile, the protests by NHM employees were also held in various parts of Kashmir including District headquarters and Block headquarters. “At this stage of life when we have dedicated 12 years of our service to the department there is no other alternative. We need a secure future as we cannot apply for fresh jobs or think of a career change at this stage”, the protesting employees said and appealed Governor SP Malik to fulfill their demands at the earliest.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here