STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU/Srinagar: Police on Monday foiled an attempt by the agitating government employees to march towards the civil secretariat by detaining a number of employees demanding removal of pay anomalies.
A large number of police personnel prevented the employees from marching towards the secretariat, which houses the Offices of the Chief Minister, her cabinet colleagues and many senior officials.
The gathering of clerks assembled in the Press Colony Srinagar and took out a huge procession rally which was led by the State Vice President Jeelani Naik, but the authorities imposed restrictions and later on the secretariat Gherao was foiled by the police and also arrested at least 300 clerks and put them behind the bars in different police stations around the city.
The State Vice President, while leading the procession, laid stress on the fact that government should remove the disparity/pay anomaly, which is being faced by the whole clerical cadre, without any further delay and the cadre didn’t want to create any in-convince to the public, but they are left with no option but to intensify the agitation against the callous attitude of the State Government towards the clerical fraternity of all subordinate departments.
The leaders stated that government should settle the issue without any further delay and to honour/venerate the announcement made by the Finance Minister on 25th December at SKICC Srinagar as well as in State Legislative Assembly during Budget Session, that the disparity with clerical cadre would be removed by way of up-gradation of pay scales as recommended by two Pay Anomaly committees constituted into the matter.
Meanwhile, the clerical cadre also observed complete pen down strike in Jammu region under the banner of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh All Departments Clerical Staff Association against non-issuance of orders regarding removal of Pay Anomalies of Fifth Pay Commission.
At Jammu city while addressing the demonstrations at various offices complexes Ravi Singh Bhau, President, condemned the callous attitude of the State Government towards the clerical cadre with regard to just and genuine demand which stands already agreed by the State Government.