STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Continuing their agitation on 7th consecutive day in support of their demands, a number of employees under the banner of Dharmarth Trust Employees Association held a protest at Head Office on Wednesday.
The employees were demanding constitution of Shrine Board for all temples under Dharmarth Trust. The employees decided to further intensify their agitation and go on an indefinite strike from Dec 11, in case their demands are not fulfilled. A number of employees from various units of trust including Shri Raghunath Mandir, Hari Bhawan Purmandal, Uttar Behani, Birpur, Central Office Karan Bhawan participated in the protest.
The employees supported by Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) are protesting in support of their long pending demands and against doctorial/ adamant attitude of trust management.
Speaking on the occasion, the employees alleged that instead of holding negotiation talks with employees to settle their long pending demands, the trust management suspended Association President, General Secretary and other office bearers with mala fide intensions to harass, victimise and crush trade union activities. The members of association further alleged that Secretary Dharmarth Trust suspended 5 employees claiming that they participated in undesirable activities and used unparliamentarily language against Chairman Trustee and management and maligned reputation of the trust which is incorrect. The employees Association wrote a letter to Secretary Dharmarth Trust to withdraw suspension of employees and allow them to work on their place of duty besides holding negotiation talks with employees representatives to settle their long pending demands, which included pay scale at par with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board employees, release of one month pay as bonus, release of 15 per cent DA installment, implementation of ESI scheme.
President DTEA Vivek Bandral and General Secretary Suneet Sharma alleged that trust management is responsible for making trust financially week due to their mis-management and wrong policies. They also demanded detailed enquiry in working of trust by CBI.
Speaking on the occasion, Subash Verma State President BMS, Ashok Choudhary General Secretary and Harbans Choudhary Vice President urged LG Manoj Sinha to merge all Dharmath temples with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for proper development of temples which are in a poor condition.
Supporting agitation of employees, Shri Raghunath ji Mandir Sewa Samitti demanded constitution of public board for all temples under Dharmarth Trust.
Others who speak on the occasion included Surjeet Singh, Parshotam Sharma, Ram Paul Sharma, Rajinder Shastri, Jagjeet Chand, Anil Sharma, Balwant Shastri, Harbans Shastri, Madan Sharma, Pt Jeeven Kumar, Kundan Lal, Subash Shastri, Rakesh Shastri, Rekha Devi, Bandana Devi, Vimal Khajuria, Bablu Kumar, Pt Ashwani Kumar, Sat Paul Pandit, Sagar Singh and Bhikham Singh.
