Srinagar/Jammu, June 15: Stalemate between the Government and Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) continues as police on Friday detained scores of employees here who tried to march for Secretariat gherao to press for their demands including enhancement in retirement age.
Hundreds of employees led by senior JCC leader Gafoor Dar tried to take out a rally from the premises of Cultural Academy here. However a heavy contingent of police used water cannons on the protesters and arrested scores of them.
“They did not allow us to move out from premises of Cultural Academy. Police showered water cannons on us to foil our Secretariat chalo and bundled 53 of our employees into vehicles. Employees were lodged in Raj Bagh and Sadder police stations,” Gafoor Dar said. “They even did not allow us to assemble at Agriculture Complex Lal Mandi. Police was deployed there and some employees were arrested there also,” he said.
Dar said that his organization, J&K Employees Joint Action Committee (Third Front), wants regularization of daily wagers and contractual employees on priority basis.
“We want to get pay anomalies issue solved and also enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years,” he added.
Senior JCC leader Abdul Qayoom Wani accused the Government of having double standards. “On one side Law Minster says that they are ready for talks with the employees but they did not invite us officially. If they would have been sincere, they would have invited us for serious talks over the issue rather than going to press,” Wani said.
JCC spokesperson Farooq Ahmad Trali said that 50,000 employees are expected to participate in the Raj Bhawan chalo on Saturday. JCC has called for lock-down of Government offices on Saturday.
“We will not bow before the Government at any cost.  The curbs and other tactics of harassment will not deter us from our goal. Thousands of employees are expected to join us from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh,” he said.
Hinting at going for an indefinite strike in 5th phase which will be announced after June 19 meet of the amalgam, senior JCC leader Khursheed Alam said, “We have now tolerated a lot. We had already kept a gap of 20 days after last strike. Now fifth phase of strike will be result-oriented and tough.”
Wani threatened to launch a State-wide stir if police fail to lodge an FIR against the police official who allegedly beat their senior leader, Farooq Ahmed Trali. “We have given a written complaint to the police. Now the ball is in the court of higher police officials. They have to decide it whether they initiate criminal proceedings against the erring official or face a State-wide agitation of 6 lakh employees,” Alam warned.

GKNN ADDS FROM JAMMU:
Hundreds of employees of various state Government departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) from Jammu region on Friday left for Srinagar to participate in Raj Bhawan gherao Saturday as part of the four-day agitation call of JCC.
Meanwhile, work in most Government offices across Jammu region remained affected on third consecutive day of the agitation.
Sources said a large number of Government employees from Education, Public Works, Power Development, Health, Technical Education, Irrigation and Agriculture departments, besides some PSUs, led by Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC-K) Provincial President Kulwant Singh today left for Srinagar to join the JCC march on Saturday, while many employees from Poonch and Rajouri also left for the summer capital via Mughal Road.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Kulwant Singh said, “We are on our way to Srinagar to join tomorrow’s march along with many employees of different departments from across the Jammu region.”
“Some of our employees from Poonch, Rajouri are coming via Mughal Road to participate in the march, while employees from Doda district will join us en route at Batote and Ramban,” Singh said.
When asked about Saturday’s protest program in Jammu, Singh said, “A complete lockdown will be observed tomorrow in all Government departments, besides one-hour protest demonstration in front of Divisional Commissioner’s office at Panama Chowk. Likewise protests will be held at all district headquarters of Jammu province,” he said.
He strongly condemned the use of force against agitating employees in Srinagar and said such ‘atrocities’ by the government are not going to demoralize the striking employees. "Our demands are genuine as Government has made an agreement with us and we just want its implementation," he said.
Kulwant Singh said, “If demands of employees are not met as per agreement reached between state Government and JCC leaders on September 15, 2011, we will intensify agitation in coming days.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 16 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST