Srinagar/Jammu, June 14: Police on Thursday again thwarted the attempt of Joint Consultative Committee to gherao Civil Secretariat here by detaining around 300 employees who were protesting to press for their demands including enhancement in retirement age.
On the call of JCC, hundreds of employees led by senior leader Abdul Qayoom Wani tried to march towards Secretariat from Exhibition Crossing. However police resorted to baton charge and water cannons to thwart their attempt.
“They beat us with bamboo sticks. This kind of force is barbaric and undemocratic. Around 300 employees were arrested and lodged in different police stations across the city,” Wani said.
“They did not stop their barbarism there only. They beat our senior leader and spokesperson Farooq Ahmed Trali in Karan Nagar police station. A sub-inspector and two other policemen beat him mercilessly in the police station with bamboo sticks. We have given 24 hours ultimatum to the Government for taking action against the accused. Otherwise we will launch a statewide agitation,” Wani threatened.
Wani said that police arrested hundreds of employees who were on way to Srinagar to join the protest.
“Barricades were erected at roads leading to Srinagar in Kupwara, Baramulla, Budgam, Anantnag (Islamabad) and Pulwama. They raided our homes. They want to suppress our rights with force,” he said.
Wani also said that 50,000 employees will participate in the march of JCC to gherao Governor House ‘to remind him about the agreement which he has endorsed.’
“We will not bow before the Government without getting our demands fulfilled,” Wani said.
Agriculture employees association has called for lockdown of offices to protest against the thrashing of their president Farooq Ahmed Trali.
EJAC(Q) vice-president Nusrat Alam Beigh, Ghulam Rasool Geelani, Fayaz Shabnum, Bashir Ahmad Bhat and Khurshid Ahmad Masoodi also condemned the police action on Trali.
On the alleged beating of Trali, City Police chief Ashiq Hussain Bukhari said, “We have not received any complaint. We will take action when we receive one."
The Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Muhammad Yaseen Malik, strongly condemned the police action against employees who were peacefully demanding the fulfillment of their demands.
“We strongly condemn the unjustified arrest of hundreds of employees along with their senior leaders including Khursheed Alam and Muntazir Mohi-ud-Din on June 13, and Abdul Qayoom Wani, Nusrat Ahmad Beigh, Fayaz Shabnum, Manzoor Ahmad Pampori, F A Trali, Ghulam Muhammad Pandit, Muhammad Suliaman Bhat and Khursheed Ahmad Bhat on June 14. The state Government and its police are stifling the voice of people by dint of force,” Malik said in a statement today, terming it as dictatorial attitude of the Government.
“This so-called Government believes in suppressing every emerging voice by dint of force and it is now meting out the same treatment to its own employees,” Malik said, adding that police injured several employees including some aged women while resorting to lathi-charge and coloured water cannons to disperse the peacefully agitating employees.
The Chairman J&K Peoples Conference, Sajad Gani Lone, has strongly condemned the ‘strong arm’ tactics used against the striking employees. “In particular, Farooq Ahmed Trali, a respected leader of the employees was badly beaten inside the police station. The act yet again demonstrates the faith that the present Government has reposed in using violence against peaceful means of protest,” he said.
CPI (M) State Secretary and President CITU, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami has strongly condemned police action on employees. “The right to organize protests is an inalienable right of the people in a democratic polity and if such rights are stifled it will only encourage the forces which stand for autocracy and violence,” he said.
GKNN ADDS FROM JAMMU: Work in most Government offices across Jammu region remained affected on the second consecutive day in response to the strike call by Joint Consultative Committee.
Employees unions held protest demonstrations outside their offices in Jammu and its adjoining areas criticizing the ‘indifferent’ attitude of the Government towards the long pending demands of the employees.
The Government and PSU employees strongly criticized the state Government resorting to lathi charge on protesting employees in Srinagar.
Addressing a meeting of employees, Provincial President EJAC (K), Kulwant Singh said police lathi charged and used colour water cannon on peacefully demonstrating employees on June 13 and 14 at Srinagar.
He said EJAC (K) strongly condemns such ‘repressive’ attitude of the Government and warns that if the Government does not concede to the agreed demands before June 16 the employees will intensify the struggle.
Members of EJAC (K) visited various departments including Irrigation and Flood Control, Municipal Corporation, Mechanical Division and educational institutions and appealed the employees to observe a lock-out on June 16.
Municipal Employees Union (Ministerial) held a protest demonstration at Town Hall, Jammu. The demonstration was led by Rohit George.
Speaking on the occasion George condemned the lathi charge on peacefully demonstrating employees at Srinagar.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 14 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST