Jammu, Mar 11: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed heated exchanges on Tuesday as lawmakers from various parties raised concerns over the lathi charge and detention of protesting daily wage workers of the Jal Shakti department. These employees were demanding the release of their pending wages and job regularisation.
As the session began, BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa highlighted the large-scale protests and police action against the daily wagers, urging the government to intervene. He received support from fellow BJP members, as well as National Conference leaders Mir Saifullah and B A Veeri, and Congress’ Nizamuddin Bhat.
Despite Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather’s attempt to restore order and proceed with Question Hour, the issue continued to dominate discussions, resulting in a raucous atmosphere in the House.
On Monday, scores of Jal Shakti department workers were baton-charged and detained in Jammu and Srinagar while marching towards the Assembly and the chief minister’s residence. The workers have been waiting for their wages for nearly 85 months, and their job regularisation remains unresolved despite repeated assurances from the administration.
The protesters have warned of an indefinite strike starting March 20 if their demands are not met. Similar protests took place last year, but despite multiple discussions with officials, no tangible solutions have been implemented. The daily wagers accuse the government of ignoring their plight and failing to take concrete steps towards addressing their grievances.
