JAMMU, Mar 21: Police on Friday foiled a protest march by daily wagers of the Jal Shakti Department who were attempting to march towards Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence in Jammu.
The daily wagers were protesting in support of their demand for regularisation of their services. As they attempted to move towards the CM’s residence, the police resorted to a minor cane charge to disperse the crowd.
The workers, under the banner of the PHE Employees Union, called for a 72-hour strike. Hundreds of daily wagers, raising slogans such as “Omar Abdullah hosh mein aao,” marched towards the CM’s residence. The protestors voiced their discontent over the government’s delay in addressing their demands for regularisation and the release of pending wages.
The police had set up barricades to block the protestors’ route, but some managed to cross them, prompting a mild cane charge from the authorities. A large contingent of police personnel prevented the protestors from advancing beyond Shaheedi Chowk.
Protest leaders criticised the National Conference government for failing to address their long-standing issues despite pre-election promises related to regularisation and wage payments.
