Srinagar, May 23: The Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) of government employees Wednesday said it was all set to begin its three-day strike beginning Thursday, warning the State Government to take decision on pending demands or face “stiff agitation” across J&K.
“All government offices will observe complete shutdown on May 24, 25 and 26,” said JCC member Abdul Qayoom Wani.
Senior JCC leaders supported by hundreds of members will stage protest outside civil Secretariat on May 25, the JCC program says. Next day, employees would assemble at press colony here wherefrom they will take out a protest march towards Raj Bhavan.
“If the State Government fails to implement the agreement inked with the employees on September 15, 2011, JCC will intensify the agitation and government will be forced to take a decision on our demands,” said JCC member Khursheed Alam.
“After May 26, the JCC will come up with a revolutionary program and it will be then too late for the government to stop us. The situation will go out of control and nobody except the state government itself will be responsible for it.”
JCC, representing over 4.5 lakh state employees, said if “the demands” were not met, they will remove Omar Abdullah government.
“This dilly-dally tactics will not work. If people can run the government with just 12 percent votes, why can't employees with 34 percent vote share dislodge it,” Alam had warned on May 9.
Among the demands of the JCC are: the enhancement in the retirement age from 58 to 60 years, regularization of daily wagers/adhoc/contractual appointees working in different government departments and removal of pay anomaly. “The credibility of the government is at stake. We fail to understand why they signed agreement at first place if they were not serious on implementing it. Government is behaving like an arrogant monarch,” said another JCC member Muhammad Rafiq Khanyari.
The JCC program says that not only government offices but all educational institutions will remain closed during the three day strike program. “Students are losing much of their time due to the hegemony of Government and they must think about it. As it is a matter of great concern, we will consider exempting educational institutions from the strike programs in our future anti-government agitation,” the members said.
Non-Gazetted Employees Union, Information Department, Kashmir Division has extended support to JCC program. “We appeal all employees to observe the strike as it for our common goal,” the spokesperson said of the Union said, in a statement.

GAD SECY MEETS JCC LEADERS
Meanwhile, Secretary to Government General Administration Department (GAD), Sheikh Mushtaq today held a meeting with the representatives of the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC).
The meeting was attended by Muhammad Khurshid Alam, Abdul Qayoom Wani, Muhammad Gafoor Dar and Rafiq Ahmed Khanyari.
The representatives said that since their demands have not been met, the Employees Unions have resorted to agitation.
“The Secretary informed the members that various meetings of the pay anomaly committee have been conducted and the issues have been deliberated in detail and decision shall accordingly follow,” an official statement said.
“It was further clarified that  regularization of daily wagers is also under consideration of the Government,  however, taking such policy decisions, which have a bearing on various sections of the society including the employees, require due deliberation,” it stated.
The representatives of JCC told Greater Kashmir that they will not withdraw the call till their demands were met. “No concrete thing came out from the meeting. Our program will continue. There was no response and we stated that we do not want to give unnecessary inconvenience. We said it is not possible to call off strike and if they fail this time intense program will be chalked out,” said Khursheed Alam.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 IST