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Govt mulling legal action against striking employees

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 6/21/2012 4:38:38 PM

SRINAGAR, June 20 : The state government today ruled out the possibility of fresh negotiations with its employee, who yesterday announced a fresh protest programme.
According to a local news agency, KNS, the state government has given indications that it is contemplating legal actions against agitating state employees.
PHE minister Taj Mohi-u-Din, said the strike called by the employees is against rulings of the state high court.
“This strike is illegal and warrants action under law," Taj, who is member of the cabinet sub committee which looks after the demands of the employees, said.
The minister said the chief minster Omar Abdullah has made it clear that government was not in a position to enhance the retirement age and there should not be now any ambiguity over the issue. “Chief minster is the head of the government and when he speaks on any issue, nobody else in the government needs to stretch it further", said Taj adding that after the CM's statement, there stands no logic for calling a strike.
“Government will not behave as a mute spectator. Such actions need to be dealt in accordance with law, and you will see law taking its own course in the days to come," said the minister.
"High Court has called JCC strike as illegal, they had appealed in Supreme Court against the ruling where it was turned down," claimed Taj. He added that now when the court has termed such a strike 'illegal', government will implement the ruling on ground. He also hinted at arresting the JCC leaders.
While ruling out any fresh negotiations with the JCC leadership, Taj said that chief minster has refused to hold any talks, so there was no reason to engage JCC leadership at this point of time. He further added that even CSC will only be revived if chief minister wishes so.
Pertinently JCC while criticizing the Chief Minster for what they termed as ‘childish remarks’ had Wednesday called for a fresh spell of agitation starting July 9. They had also threatened to convert the strike into an indefinite one if their demand were not met.