Srinagar, Jan 10: Police Thursday used force and resorted to lathi-charge to foil a massive protest demonstration called by the Joint Consultative Committee of the state employees. Police arrested more than 200 employees here.
In Jammu, police however desisted from using force on the protesting employees. The employees there presented a memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner.
The work in government offices remained affected for the third consecutive day in the wake of the JCC strike. The employees are demanding enhancement of retirement age to 60 years, regularization of daily wagers and removal of pay anomalies.
Police used force and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse thousands of employees at Regal Chowk here when a massive demonstration tried to march from Sher-e-Kashmir Park towards the Divisional Commissioner’s Office. “Nearly a dozen employees were injured while 200 more arrested, including some JCC leaders,” the JCC spokesperson Farooq Ahmad Trali said.
The employees are on strike since January 8.
The JCC spokesperson said massive demonstrations were held in Jammu and a memorandum was submitted to Divisional Commissioner by senior JCC leader Abdul Qayoom Wani and others. “Three separate peaceful demonstrations were held in Jammu,” Trali said. “The employees then marched towards Udyog Bhawan and staged massive protests. The demonstration remained peaceful in Jammu.”
Trali said the JCC would hold two important meetings in both divisions of the state and chalk out a “decisive strategy” to press for their “genuine” demands. “Though offices will function from Friday, a decisive strategy would be chalked out that would lead to a strike of prolonged nature,” the spokesperson said.
Trali said the JCC would announce on Friday the future course of action. “Next phase of strike would be harsh, that much is clear,” he said.
The JCC spokesperson said over 4.5 lakh employees of the state were ready for a “decisive battle” to pursue their genuine demands. “We have given sufficient time to government to think over the demands. The 5th phase would be decisive and a final chance to government,” he said.
Khurshid Alam said the J&K government was pushing JCC to the wall. “The state government came to an agreement with employees last year but failed to implement it. We have been continuously saying we will launch a decisive strategy if government fails to fulfil our genuine demands,” he said.
“Since the government has been unmoved with the peaceful agitation of JCC, it is time to take a tough call,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minster for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Muhammad Sagar said the JCC leaders should shun the path of confrontation and enter into talks with the J&K government.
“The lives of people are getting affected due to employees’ strikes. Government is open for talks to sort out the issues with the employees. They should come forward,” a local news agency KNS quoted Sagar as saying.
“The employees draw salaries even in hartal days. Such a mindset is legally and morally wrong,” he said.
“The JCC leaders must not politicize the issue of employees,” he said.
A JCC statement said among the arrested include Khurshid Alam, Fayaz Shabnam, Fayaz Andrabi, Manzoor Ahmad Pampori, Pir Manzoor, Reyaz Ahmad Pampori, Ghulam Rasool Bhat, Muhammad Afzal Bhat, Abdul Qayoom Wani, Muhammad Maqbool Malik, Muhammad Maqbool Beig, Abdul Rashid Mir, Abdul Qayoom Beig, Hakeem Reyaz Ahmad, Farooq Ahmad Khan, Muhammad Afzal Parmo, Manzoor Ahmad Pathan, Pali Ji, Farooq Ahmad Shalmari, Muhammad Younis Matoo, Muhammad Akbar Khan, Khan Mushtaq, Shakeel Ahmad, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, Javid Ahmad Mantoo, Tasleema Bashir, Zareena Parveen, Nazir Ahmad Bhat, Muhammad Ashraf Bhat, Rafiq Ahmad Parvaz, Farooq Ahmad, Reyaz Ahmad Sofi, Ghulam Muhammad Bhat Bugami, Showkat Ali Beig, Nazir Ahmad Changal, Abdul Ahad Mir, Waheed Ahmad, Khurshid Andrabi, Waheeda, Abdul Hamid Khanday, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Farooq Ahmad Lasjan, Mukhtar Ahmad Tantray, Jan Muhammad, Fida Muhammad, Shareef-ud-din, Javid Ahmad, Shabir Ahmad, Shams-ud-din, Riyaz Ahmad Mir, Aijaz Hakeem, Bashir Ahmad Ganderbali, Aziz Malik, Parvez Khan, Parveena, Hajira, Muhammad Akram Shah, Ghulam Muhammad Malik, Mushtaq Ahmad, Abdul Qayoom Beig, Abdul Rashid, Zahid Ahmad, Pir Abdul Rashid, Zahoor Ahmad Malik, Jehangir Ahmad Dar, Abdul Rashid, Muhammad Ilyas and others.
However, Deputy Inspector General of Police Central Kashmir Afadul Mujtaba rejected the JCC claims that some of the employees were injured in police action in Srinagar. “No one was injured. We need to maintain law and order in the city and as precautionary measure some of the employees were arrested. They were later released,” KNS quoted Mujtaba as saying.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Jan 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Jan 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 IST