Srinagar, Feb 28: Police today lathicharged striking trade unionists during a rally held here in protest against “anti-labour” policies of the central government.
The police resorted to baton charge and fired coloured water cannons to disperse the rally of trade unionists at Sher-e-Kashmir Park here after they tried to block a road, police said.
The protestors were asked by police to disperse peacefully, but when they refused the security forces resorted to lathicharge.
Police claimed that no one was injured in the incident, but some of the protestors were detained and lodged at police station Kothibagh.
Around 20,000 employees of central public sector undertakings (PSUs) from Jammu and Kashmir observed a complete strike under the banner of J&K Coordination Committee of Trade Unions (JKCCTU) on the call given by All Central Trade Unions (ACTU).
The workers including large number of women gathered at SK Park and staged a demonstration. While addressing the rally, President JKCCTU, Muhammad Maqbool alleged that central government has failed in tackling inflation and as a result lives of common people especially working class have been most affected.
“Uncontrolled price rise, unemployment, policies of outsourcing has dented the salary class people. Even government is not following labour laws which is very unfortunate and has made lives of employees miserable,” Maqbool said.
President JKCCTU also criticized the policies of the state government. “We demand that the state government should regularize all the employees working as casual, contract, Anganwadi, Asha and immediate settlement of struggling Floriculture workers demands.”
Other leaders highlighted departmental issues and demanded releasing of Pay Commission arrears of state employees, regularisation of wages for unpaid casual workers and enhancement of wages according to the present price index.
Similar rally was also held in Jammu outside the Parade M&RE Division which was addressed by Ram Kumar and others.
Pertinently, different trade unions held demonstrations throughout the country against the “rising prices, disinvestment of profit-making PSUs and violation of labour laws.”

TARIGAMI CONDEMNS:
State President CITU and MLA Muhammed Yousuf Tarigami has strongly condemned the police lathi charge.
Terming the use of force as antidemocratic, he said that peaceful demonstration is a constitutional right of all citizens, which has to be safeguarded and respected by the government. Use of force to quell peaceful and orderly demonstrations is unwarranted and unjustified, he said.
He said that such methods can never succeed in silencing the voice of the exploited and demanded immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 28 Feb 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 IST