Srinagar: Over 20 Jammu and Kashmir government employees on Tuesday courted arrest near the civil secretariat in Srinagar in support of their demands which include raising the retirement age from 58 to 60 years.
The employees tried to march towards the civil secretariat, the seat of the state government, but were stopped by the police. "About 20-25 of the employees courted arrest outside the secretariat," president of the employees Joint Consultation Committee (JCC), Abdul Qayoom Wani said. He said the employees, including some leaders, reached the secretariat despite a "police crackdown during the night". "We are demanding the implementation of our genuine demands, which the government agreed in 2003. We would not be cowed down," he said.
Wani said the employees will stage a peaceful torch procession from Sher-e-Kashmir Park to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's residence on Wednesday. The JCC has already announced a complete lockout in all government, semi-government offices and public sector undertakings on October 4 and 5.
On October 3, the employees will gather outside the state assembly, Wani said. The state government has decided to act tough against the employees if they go ahead with their agitation. "Apart from enforcement of the principles of no work no wages, action as may be deemed appropriate may be taken against those instigating/participating in the strikes/hartals," a circular issued by the government said.
Besides seeking the enhancement of retirement age to 60 years, the employees are agitating in support of regularisation of daily-rated workers, casual laborers and need-based workers engaged after 1994, removal of pay anomalies, budgetary support for public sector undertakings and inclusion of five years of Rehbar-e-Taleem recruits in their service records.
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