Jammu: Senior JCC leader Abdul Qayoom Wani on Monday led a protest demonstration of thousands of MGNREGA staff in demand for their job policy in Jammu.
Thousands of protesters assembled at press colony in Jammu and as they marched ahead, police intercepted them near Jewel Chowk and prevented them from moving the Civil Secretariat. The MGNREGA staff had called for Civil Secretariat gherao to press for their genuine demands. The staff is on strike from nine days.
As the police prevented the protesters from marching a head, there was huge traffic jam in the jewel chowk and adjoining areas.
Earlier addressing the protesting staff, Qayoom Wani assured the complete support to MGNREGA staff on behalf of five government employee and asked the government to fulfil their genuine demands.
“In case government fails to fulfil the demand of the staff immediately, five lakhs employees would hit streets,” Qayoom said and advocated end to contractual system likening to exploration.
VLW association present Jammu also extended support to the employees and addressing the protesting staff said that MGNREGA workforce was part and parcel of the rural development department.
Later Qayoom Wani-led delegation MGNREGA Association held a meeting with RDD minister Abdul Haq Khan.
Meanwhile president of MGNREGA Association Jan Mohammad, Vice president Sandeep Kalotra said and core member of the association Shahid-ul-Islam said that staff would not yield under threats and will continue with their protests until their demands like framing of job policy, 10 percent hike in the remuneration of contractual staff, focus on employment of women, grant of ex-gratia up to Rs five lakh to MGNREGA employee and contractual staff in the event of death during execution of work, Rs two lakh in the event of permanent disability and Rs 50,000 in case of partial disability, etc are not fulfilled.
“This is a ‘do and die’ agitation in favour of legitimate demands and we will continue it till our genuine demands are not fulfilled,” they said.
