Jammu: BJP members staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday after a war of words with NC MLAs over the detention and baton charge of protesting daily-wage employees of the Jal Shakti department.
Scores of Jal Shakti (PHE) department workers and daily-wagers were baton-charged and detained on Monday during demonstrations in Srinagar and Jammu as they marched towards the Assembly and the chief minister’s residence demanding release of their wages and regularisation. Their march was foiled by police authorities.
MLA Vikram Randhawa, supported by BJP members, blamed the government for forcing daily-wagers to take to the streets, arguing that despite promises made by the National Conference, the budget had nothing for them.
Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma and Sham Lal Sharma blamed the previous National Conference government for the current crisis.
However, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary countered, and said the NC government had employed these daily workers and would ensure their regularisation.
The House soon plunged into chaos with heated verbal exchanges between NC and BJP members. Some members also used derogatory language against each other. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather later expunged the remarks.
The chief minister said the baton-charge should not have taken place, as those protesting were our employees.
Regarding the police action, Abdullah said, “Neither you nor we have control over them. Please raise the issue with those who control them.”
He further said the police had taken note of the incident and should exercise restraint in the future.
However, BJP MLAs stood up, arguing that the situation had arisen because the government had allocated nothing for the workers in the budget.
This led to protests from the treasury benches. After several minutes of noisy scenes, BJP members staged a walkout from the House.
As the House assembled for the day in the morning, BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa raised the issue of protests by PHE daily wagers, highlighting the subsequent baton charge and detention in support of their demands for the release of wages.
He emphasised the need for the government to address their issues.
Randhawa was supported by several BJP members. National Conference members Mir Saifullah and B A Veeri, along with Congress member Nizamuddin Bhat, also raised the issue.
Despite Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather’s asking them to down and allow the Question Hour to proceed, the members continued raising the issue briefly, leading to a ruckus.
The daily-wagers had previously staged long strikes last year demanding the release of their pending wages and regularisation of their services. Despite several rounds of talks with senior officials in the department, their issues remain unresolved.
Have no control over police, says CM as oppn walks out from Assembly
Asserting that the use of force on the protesting daily-wage employees of the Jal Shakti department should not have happened, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said he does not hold control over the police.
As the House assembled for the day, opposition members highlighted the massive protests by the daily-wagers demanding release of wages and regularisation of jobs, and criticised the ‘baton charge’ on them.
The BJP members staged a walkout as a ruckus erupted, when the BJP and National Conference members engaged in a verbal duel over the matter.
Intervening, Abdullah said, “You (BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa) have asked a question, please wait for the answer.”
“As far as the police’s treatment of the protesters is concerned, I would like to remind Randhawa Sahab, who is making a noise about this issue, that unfortunately, neither you nor I have control over the police,” he said.
The Chief Minister further said that instead of creating a ruckus inside the House, it would have been better if the opposition raised the matter a few kilometres from there (referring to the Lieutenant Governor), where the actual control lies.
“It would have been more appropriate to go ‘there’ and ask why they were beaten up,” he added.
Omar said neither were the protesters beaten up on government orders, nor should they have been treated this way.
“Even today, I maintain that these employees are ours. Their issues are genuine. This is not a financial issue but a humanitarian one. They should have been treated with humanity and sensitivity,” he said.
He maintained that he believes the concern shown by all of them in the House must have reached the ears of the police.
“Next time, when these people fight for their rights, batons will not be used against them,” he added.
