Jammu, Dec 18: Agriculture Technocrats, who are serving in the Agriculture Department as Rehbar-e-Zira’at, and presently on a fast-unto-death under the banner of All Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Technocrats Association and Agriculture Technocrat Forum Friday made an unsuccessful attempt to gherao the chief minister, Omar Abdullah, when he visited a Masjid near Tawi bridge to offer Friday prayers.
 Hundreds of technocrats present at the Press Club marched towards the Civil Secretariat but the police stopped them at Dogra Chowk. The protesters blocked traffic and raised slogans against the government and police for its highhanded attitude.
 Later, the technocrats marched toward the Masjid near Tawi bridge and tried to gherao Abdullah whose security guards and Nawabad police foiled the attempt.
 Addressing the protesters, the JKATF president, Kashmir province, Bilal Ahmed, alleged the government had turned a deaf ear towards the technocrats on a fast-unto-death since December 5 with none from government ever visiting them and inquiring about the deteriorating conditions of the strikers.
 The Jammu province president, Dr Surinder Radotra, said the agitation would be intensified if the government did not concede their demand early.
 Meanwhile, another technocrat, Dr Parshotam, became serious due to fasting, but refused to be shifted to Government Hospital for treatment.
 The Jammu mayor and BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta, and Nationalist Congress Party president, Thakur Randhir Singh, visited the Press Club today and expressed their solidarity with the striking agriculture technocrats.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:00:00 IST