Police Monday foiled protest march of Public Health Engineering (PHE) daily wagers, who were demanding regularization of their services, and detained scores of them.Protestors assembled at main office here in Srinagar and raised slogans to press for their demands. They were carrying placards reading: “We want justice, regularize our services.’Protestors later tried to march towards city centre however; police swung into action and detained scores of them. Police used mild lathi-charge and water cannons to disperse the protesters. Eyewitnesses told CNS that scores of protesting employees were held and detained at Kothibagh and Maisuma police stations.Earlier, talking to media persons, the protesting employees led by PHE Daily wagers Union leader Sajad Ahmed expressed anguish over the ‘false promises’ of the previous and the incumbent Government.“Despite promises made by the current Finance Minister, nothing has been done to mitigate our sufferings. The irony is that the current government is looking this problem from the prism of politics and we are being told that only those daily wagers will be regularized who were adjusted during the rule of People’s Democratic Party in 2002 and 2014.
This is sheer injustice towards those who have been serving the department since 1994,” he said and warned of serious ramifications, if government does not regularize the deserved aspirants.Meanwhile, strongly condemning the police action against PHE dialy wagers, CPI (M) leader MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has said the government is complicating the grievances of daily wagers through use of force and browbeating.Tarigami said that unfortunately instead of redressing grievances of these temporary employees, the government is resorting to force and cudgeling to buy the time. “Despite assurances on the floor of the house for regularization of daily wagers, casual labourers and other contractual employees, it is appalling that the government is far from fulfilling its commitment. The administrative apathy towards their genuine issues is against the canons of justice and fair play, he added.”While strongly advocating the regularization demand of the protesting PHE daily wagers, CPI (M) leader has urged upon the government to immediately release those workers, who have been detained in various police stations. (CNS)