Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 3: Class-IV contractual employees of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Kakryal who were demanding ex gratia to the bereaved family of their colleague, continued their strike today on 13th consecutive day. Amid sloganeering against the Vice Chancellor and authorities sitting at the helm of affairs of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), whom the protestors alleged are fuelling the agitation of University employees owing to vested interests. Protestors were demanding adequate compensation to family of their colleague one Karnail Singh, who lost his life on campus on July 4. "University authorities miserably failed in extending any relief to the family of deceased, who died on duty. There are around 250 class four employees who are working on hire basis under a contractor, one of the protestors said. He also said employees when approached Vice Chancellor, he shifting the claim said that employees working on hire basis (through a contractor) are not responsibility of University and they shall go to contractor and seek compensation . Meanwhile, the leaders of Shrine Board Employees Union (SBEU) and Shiv Sena Hindustan (SSH) also visited the dharna site and extended their support to the agitating employees. Those visited included President of SBEU and General Secretary of SSH, Raj Kumar Bassan. Bassan while extending support to the cause of University employees constituted unit with Raj Kumar as President, Ashu Samotra (Chairman), Kaku Ram (Vice-President), Jagdish Badyal (Gen Secy), Ravi Kumar (Jt Secy), Kuldeep Raj (Jt Secy), Hem Raj (Secy), Vikram Dogra (Cashier), and Raj Kumar, Balbir and Madan Lal as members. Meanwhile Bassan warned the University as well as SMVDSB administration of dire consequences if demands of agitating hired employees are not met within two days. A two-minute silence was also observed in the memory of the deceased employee. |
