Srinagar, Jan 27: Jammu and Kashmir College Contractual Teachers Association (JKCCTA) today threatened to go on strike and boycott classes in Valley colleges from upcoming academic session if government failed to fulfill their long pending demands.
 “We called off our 42-days long strike and sit-in at Press Enclave on the assurances of Higher Education Minister, Abdul Gani Malik and CM’s Advisor, Mubarak Gul that our demands would be met forthwith. But months have passed and the government has completely failed to look into our grievances,” JKCCTA president, Dr Muhammad Maqbool told Greater Kashmir.
 “All the promises made by the government proved to be hoax. We would have never called off the strike had government not promised us of fulfilling our demands,” Dr Muhammad Maqbool added.
 “The intervention of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah last year by sending intermediaries in carrying out a negotiation seemed a positive note. But it proved a deceit. We believed in the CM’s capability in solving our problems, but he too didn’t bother to fulfill our genuine demands.”  
 Almost 650 lecturers working as academic arrangement had gone for an indefinite strike on June 27 last year, demanding regularization of their service, revocation of revised work order and pay hike according to the norms of University Grants Commission. After 42 days of sit-in-protest at Press Enclave here, the Association called off the strike, following assurances from the government to look into their demands.
 “If government failed to meet our demands, it will be solely responsible for the demonstrations and sit-ins we will hold,” he added.
 When contacted, Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik said, “The demands of contractual lecturers were under active consideration of the government. There are certain departmental issues.  Their demands cannot be solved in a jiffy. We are considering them one by one. Whatever they deserve will be provided to them; the process is on.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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