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Protest march by JCC, NYC foiled
TILAK MEHRA. Dated: 11/6/2012 11:03:35 PM
Police resorts to lathi-charge, several arrested
JAMMU, Nov 6: Foiling two protests by state government employees under the banner of Joint Co-ordination Committee (JCC) and National Youth Corps (NYC) march to Civil Secretariat, police today used lathi-charge and arrested a large number protestors including leaders during their protest programme in the winter capital of the state on the second day of the opening of Secretariat. The leaders also condemned the brutal attack on them by the police and arrest all leaders while demanding implementation of an agreement signed by its leaders with the state government.
Defying prohibitory orders, the employees started their march from Press Club to Civil Secretariat. A large contingent of police, which was deployed there, stopped them. The cops resorted to lathi-charge to disperse them and arrested the protestors including leaders. The employees showed a stiff resistance and tried to proceed, but police again used lathi-charge to foil their attempt. A larger number of employees including their leader Mohammad Khursheed Alam, Garfoor Dar, Abdul Qayoom Wani including woman leader were also arrested.
However, the agitated employees again regrouped and crossed the transitory barrier erected by police. The employees were again intercepted by a large contingent of police. Cops resorted to lathi-charge and other techniques like water canons were used to disperse the employees. In the police action, several employees were detained and lodged in Jammu District Police Line.
The employees’ leader Khursheed Alam, while addressing the media, condemned the police action for foiling their programme and termed the protest programme as genuine after the agreement was violated by government. In view of the strike call given by JCC in support of its demand against non-implementation of an agreement signed by its leaders with the state government. Earlier, the employees were demanding release of their arrears as per the recommendations made by the sixth pay commission and an increase in retirement age from 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies in different cadres of the state services and regularisation of daily-wagers.
At-least a dozen agitating volunteers of Jammu province of NYC including a woman were injured when men in Khaki descended upon them and hit them with fists and blows when they started a peaceful march towards Civil Secretariat.
As soon as the NYC volunteers started their march, hundreds of cops led by Station House Officer (SHO) Police Station Nowabad Inspector JP Sharma started beating them. The cops also used canes and beat the protestors mercilessly with fists and blows. The cops did not even spare the girls and women protestors. The cops chased the protestors and beat them up mercilessly.
Later, the police packed the protestors in police gypsies and shifted them to Police Station. One of the injured Banihal volunteer Naseem Ahmed was later shifted to GMC hospital for treatment.
NYC leaders said, "Atleast 8000 NYC volunteers were appointed by Government of India (GoI) in collaboration with state government in all departments and these volunteers have played a vital role in education, revenue, social welfare and rural development departments. We are not getting the honorarium regularly. The volunteers should be absorbed as regular employees. The organisation is supporting us for the cause of unemployed youth.”
Earlier, the volunteers led by various district presidents and general secretaries of NYC seeking resolution of their demands assembled outside Press Club Jammu for protest. They also threatened to launch an agitation at the district and block level across the state if their demands were not conceded by the state and central government.
NYC Vice-President Asif Ali Bhat, Poonch President Sikander Nourani, Jammu President Gourav Bazla, Rajouri President and State General Secretary Yasar Arafat and Joint Secretary Syed Bakar Ali Jafri who were arrested during the protest.