JCC defers strike call after meeting with Government Government was on back foot, more agitations in case of further delay: Wani ‘We never made commitment on increase in retirement age; they can’t take govt. on ride’ Taj Says, any further agitations tantamount to contempt of court Srinagar, Sep. 17 : In an effort to break the impasse on the various demands including the increase in retirement age, Government on Tuesday held a marathon meeting with Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) the apex body of the state government employees spearheading the agitation prompting them (JCC) defer the proposed strike beginning from Wednesday for ten days upto 27th of September. The JCC however cautioned that if there wasn’t any breakthrough in the next meeting scheduled on 27th of this month, they would be forced to announce next round of agitation which according to them would be much harsher and exemplary. The Government however made it clear that it won’t bow down by the intimidation from JCC and said the court had already banned the agitations on this issue and anything like that would be a ‘contempt’ of court. Addressing a Press conference here, JCC leaders Ab. Qayoom Wani, Ab. Gafoor Dar, Rouf Ahamd and Mohammad Ashraf Bhat Said that they had a fresh round of talks with the government on Tuesday in civil secretariat which lasted for two and a half hours during which all the issues were discussed in a cordial manner which has prompted the JCC leadership to defer the proposed strike scheduled from Wednesday for 10 days. ‘’ we are meeting again on 27th of September and are hopeful that something concrete would come out in the meet.” Said JCC leaders. They however cautioned that if government did not come up with a positive response in the next meeting, the employees would be forced to take the confrontational approach again. Government was represented by all the members of the cabinet subcommittee including Finance Minster Ab. Rahim Rather, Rural Development Minister Ali Mohamad Sagar, Medical Education Minster Taj Mohi ud din, Flood Control Minster Sham Lal Sharma , Planning Minster Ajay Sadhotra , Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khanday, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah B.B Viyas, Principal secretary Home Suresh Kumar, planning Commissioner B.R Sharma, and secretary GAD Mohammed Ashraf bukhari. Meanwhile JCC leader and teachers forum president Ab. Qayoom Wani told KNS that the JCC had gone in the meeting with a one point programme that of implementation of the agreement the state government had already reached with the JCC which include the demands of the increase in the retirement age, pay anomaly and the regularization of casual laborers. “The meeting was positive but it seemed that the government had not taken the issue seriously which could be the reason behind the delay in the implementation of the agreement, but we are now hopeful that it (Govt.) will come up with the implementation decision.” Wani told KNS, adding that the Government went on back foot in the meeting owing to its negligence and non seriousness in implementing the already signed agreement with JCC. “We have given them 10 days more before we meet on 27th of sep. again at 4 pm and if they fail again to deliver, we would announce the next round of agitation on the same day” said Wani. The government however seem to have other designs. Senior member of the cabinet subcommittee and Medical Education Minster Taj Mohi ud din told KNS that the government had never conceded to the demand of an increase in the retirement age neither was any mention of it in the agreement. “Which agreements they are talking about we have never made a commitment regarding the increase in retirement age. We just said that we will consider it sympathetically.” Taj told KNS. He added that though the government believed in the reconciliatory approach, yet it would not in any case succumb to pressure. “We can’t be cowed down by their warnings, government is after all a government, you can’t take it for a ride.” Said Taj while reacting to the JCC warning of taking to confrontational rout again, in case there wasn’t any breakthrough in the next round of meeting. “We have accepted their all demands and now only three including Pay anomaly, regularization of casual laborers and two year increase in the retirement age are pending which are under consideration and would require time .” said Taj. He further said that all the three demands were time consuming and can’t be met overnight. “We have to follow the rules and this will require time. In casual laborers case, we have to see whether there is a provision of their regularization and does the rule permit us to do so, where as in retirement age increase we have to take the unemployed youth into consideration also. So this will take time but we are after it and the matter is under sympathetic consideration” added the Minister. He also said that the strikes being called by the JCC were illegal as per the court directions and if they (JCC) again resort to such practice that would tantamount as the contempt of court.
Posted on: Tue, 17 Sep 2013 14:57:13 +0000
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