Contractual workers engaged under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act have been continuously holding demonstrations across Jammu and Kashmir. The employees also held protest in Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region. MGNREGA Employees Association President Jan Muhammad led a protest against the callous attitude of the government in Jammu district.“MGNREGA workers working in Rural Development Department from categories POS, TAS, Account Assistants, MIS Operators and GRS’s since 2009 have been on roads and are on indefinite strike against government failure to regularize them,” he said. Jan Muhammad said that SSA and NRHM are giving handsome salary with yearly increment to their employees but salary of MGNREGA staff is very meager and work load is very high. He said that the J&K Government is going to frame job policy for employees of every department except MGNREGA employees, which is a cruel behavior towards them. He said that on May 23 this year, RDD Minister, Abdul Haq Khan, promised them to frame job policy, 10% hike in remuneration of contractual staff, ex-gratia upto Rs 5 lakh to MGNREGA workers and contractual staff in the event of death during execution of work, etc but even after the lapse of over six months no order has come out in written from the authorities concerned, which has compelled them to go on indefinite strike and hold demonstrations. A protest was also held in Direction Office Lal Mandi Srinagar. Protesters alleged that they are being pressurized to call off their strike. They said when Vigilance Organization raided the Director’s residence, some employees came in support of the Director and went for indefinite strike, however, no action was initiated against those employees. “We are fighting for our rights, but are being intimidated,” the protesting MGNREGA employees told news agency CNS. They said the strike will continue till government resolves their issue.The protesting employees appealed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Minister for Rural Development Department Abdul Haq Khan to fulfill their long pending demand as soon as possible. “It is very painful that MGNREGA staff is highly qualified but are compelled to work on wages, which are even less than wages of skilled labourers working under MGNREGA and as compared to other centrally sponsored schemes running in J&K,” they said. (CNS)