Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: The employees from various State Government Departments and Public Sector Undertakings held protest demonstration in support of their pending demands outside the office of Divisional Commissioner at Rail Head complex here besides other district headquarters today.
A large number of employees including daily wagers, trained casual labours, need based workers, under the banner of J&K National Trade Union Front assembled near Panama Chowk and from there in the shape of protest rally they moved towards Divisional Commissioner’s office. Mohd Gafoor Dar, president of NTUF was leading the protest.
The employees were shouting slogans in support of their demands. They also demanded immediate implementation of agreement signed between Government and JCC representatives. The speakers including Gafoor Dar strongly criticized the State Government for not honouring its commitment. They also condemned the delaying tactics of the Government.
Mr Dar in his address alleged that Government has failed to remove pay anomalies of various categories including clerical cadre, enhance retirement age of employees from 58 to 60 years, frame policy for the daily rated workers engaged after 1994, release 10 % DA due from July 2013, enhance Medical Allowance from Rs 300 to Rs 1000 and regularize all adhoc, ITI trained and other consolidated/ casual/ daily rated workers. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner in his office chamber.
Prominent among others who addressed gathering included Rajinder Kumar, Nazir Ahmed Moulvi, Ajay Kumar, Muneer Ahmed, Peeran Ditta and Vikramjit Singh.
Similar protests were held at district headquarters including Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Kathua besides other parts of Kashmir valley. In Srinagar near Press Enclave, at least eight employees’ leaders were detained by police. They were later released in the evening. The Front leaders in Jammu have strongly condemned the police action of arrest and lathi-charge on the peacefully protesting employees.