Srinagar: Police on Thursday foiled the protest march of Contingent Paid Workers (CPW) of Education department and detained scores of its members after they tried to march towards Srinagar’s commercial Lal chowk area.

Dozens of CPWs assembled at Srinagar’s Press Enclave and chanted slogans in favour of their demands.  

The protesters demanded authorities to fulfil their demands at the earliest. 

The protest was also supported by the Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC).

EJAC president, Abdul Qayoom Wani also participated in the protest during which he highlighted the sufferings of CPWs and asked government to fulfill their demands as soon as possible, keeping in view of their sufferings. 

The protesting CPWs told reporters that the authorities have failed to fulfill the demands of the CPWs. “The authorities have failed to fulfill the promises done with the hundreds of CPWs. We are serving the department from past several years on meager amount but the department is ignoring the sufferings of the workers,” they said, adding that the government must enhance their monthly honorarium so that they could heave a sigh of relief.

CPWs said that the concerned minister must look into the sufferings of CPWs and should take any concrete decision to secure the future of hundreds of CPWs. “The amount we are getting is insufficient. The government always assured us of fulfilling our demands but unfortunately, they only rubbed the salt on our wounds as nothing has been done in this regard,” they added.

The protesters also demanded authorities to regularize their duties.

They urged the department especially concerned Minister, Syed Altaf Bukhari to look into the matter and fulfill their demands at an earliest.

Meanwhile, as soon as the protesters tried to march towards Srinagar’s commercial hub, police swung into action and detained scores of their members.   

Guest