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| Stir hots up: Govt, employees at loggerheads | | Employees cease work on third day, extend strike till April 13 | | ESMA fails to restore attendance in govt offices, PSUs
ARTEEV SHARMA
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Apr 5: Retaliating against the State Government decision of slapping Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA) on them, the striking employees continued their strike across the state on third consecutive day today crippling work in government departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
Situation got further deteriorated in all government institutions particularly hospitals as the services in Out Patient Departments (OPDs) in Government Medical College & Hospital Jammu and its allied hospitals observed complete shutdown. Para-medical staff remained stayed away from their respective duties for fourth consecutive day today.
The functioning in Civil Secretariat complex here came to grinding halt as it wore the deserted look after employees continuing to cease work. Only IAS and state administrative service officers along with their personal staff attended offices. Government run educational institutions also reported thin attendance across the region.
In the meantime, the Civil Secretariat Non-Gazetted Employees Association (CSNGEA) announced to extend their two-day-long strike till April 13 while another faction of striking employees-Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC), also decided to continue their strike, which was earlier, scheduled up to April 6, and extended it till April 12.
Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of several employees association, has also decided to continue its strike and it would hold protest rallies across the State on April 10 wherein future course of action would be announced.
Over 50 leaders of various employees unions have gone underground after the Government invoked ESMA.
The state government's decision of invoking ESMA on striking employees also received widespread criticism from political as well as social groups. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) described the slapping of ESMA as "anti-democratic" and "unconstitutional" while the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) castigated the government for invoking ESMA on employees.
Undeterred by the government's decision of slapping ESMA on them, employees staged demonstrations at different places and shouted "anti-government" slogans.
Nazir Ahmed Mir, president CSNGEA described slapping of ESMA on employees as "helplessness" of the administration and declared that the coordination committee of the association has decided to extend the strike till April 13.
"Not even a single employee entered the Civil Secretariat and all the offices remained locked today. The employees staged demonstrations at their residential quarters being allotted to them by the Estate departments at different places and expressed their resentment against the invoking of such black laws," the president informed.
The Union leader suggested that such suppressive tactics would not serve any purpose and the employees would not succumb before administration till their demands are not fulfilled.
Hundreds of employees under the banner of EJAC staged a protest at GGM Science College and accused the government of adopting "suppressive" tactics.
"We will not succumb to the government's act of suppressive tactics by using the force against us while imposing ESMA which is unethical and undemocratic," Ram Kumar Sharma, EJAC convenor of Jammu Chapter said.
"The residences of leaders and employees are being raided by the police to unleash terror among our activities so we are also maintaining a cautious vigil to thwart their designs and also continue with our protest," Sharma said, adding that the Committee would restrain from conducting road shows to avoid arrest and harassment to its employees.
"In 1999 also same situation had arisen under the rule of former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah where employees had stood to all testimonies of government's wrath and this time also employees would emerge winners by getting their rights restored soon, " he said.
He also blamed the ruling coalition for making the situation detrimental for the employees and said, "Chief Minister's immaturity causing it."
Talking to the media persons, the representatives of Joint Consultative Committee (EJCC) condemned the coalition government for invoking ESMA against the employees instead of fulfilling the genuine demands of the employees.
Khursheed Alam and Abdul Qayoom Wani, while addressing a hurriedly called press conference sought the cooperation of general public.
"Despite the government's suppressive tactics, work in all government offices across the State remained paralysed and we have decided to hold protest rallies at tehsil and district headquarters in all the three regions of the State on April to protest the government's dictatorial attitude," Nazir Ahmed Mir said.
He further said that protest rallies would be organized at Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions. "A huge rally would be organized at Sher-e-Kashmir Park Srinagar and Bikram Chowk on April 10," he said.
"The employees may resort to indefinite strike if our issues are not resolved till April 13," he maintained.
A large number J&K Police personnel and paramilitary jawans were deployed at separate areas where the employees had supposed to organize the protest rallies.
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