Police on Monday foiled a march of National Health Mission (NHM) employees towards the Chief Minister's residence at Gupkar from Lal Chowk here.The protesting employees said that many of their colleagues have been injured in baton charge by police. Reports said that a large number of NHM employees were baton charged by Police near Regal Chowk. The employees alleged that yet again police used brute force to stop them marching towards Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s residence.“We had planned a march towards the official residence of Chief Minister at Gupkar. We wanted to held a peaceful protest outside her residence but were charged with lathi’s that resulted in the injuries of all but 15 doctors including some females,” said a protester to CNS. He identified some of the wounded employees as Afroza Bano, Sheikh Muzaffar, Syed Irm, Dr Tashakur, Afroz Ahmed, Syed Yaseen, Maroofa, Altaf Ahmed, Samina, Shazia Jan, Muhammad Shafi, Rayees Ahmed, Saima and Farooq Ahmed.
Shortly after police foiled their protest, NHM employees staged a massive protest at Press Enclave Srinagar. On February 1, the NHM employees had called for 72-hour pen down strike. However, they extended it for next 72 hours on February 3. NHM employees said they have completed more than nine years of contractual services and most of them have crossed their age bar limit.Meanwhile, NHM Employees Association has further extended their strike till Thursday (February 9). While interacting with the reporters, Association president Shaheen Nawaz said that they have been working from last 10 years and they are demanding regularization of their services, implementation of SRO 255 and Equal Pay for Equal Work. “These demands are genuine but the attitude of the government is callous,” he said.He threatened in case their genuine demands are not sorted out on priority basis with in the time given then they will launch state wide agitation, for which the Government shall be personally responsible. (CNS)