Civilian daily wagers of army protest in Udhampur

A large number of civilian daily wage workers of the army today held a protest in Udhampur as they demanded to be absorbed in the regular army.
"We have given our prime youth to the army, we worked for them as porters and risked our lives, we have taken part in the Kargil war as well," Pawan Kumar, a protestor said.
Several protestors alleged that they have been working for the army on daily wages for the past several years on the assurance that they would be absorbed in the regular army.
"Many of us started working for the army when the situation was really difficult, we worked with them during the Kargil war and at times when there is heavy cross border shelling," Ram Lal a protestor said.

He said, that on army's call they risk their lives and join them as porter and take the arms and ammunition on their shoulders on the mountaintops.
"After being used for several years we were shown the doors, but we were promised that we would be given preference in the recruitment rallies. But no former porter of the army was adjusted in the regular army," Girdhari lal a former porter said.
However, the army says that recruitment in the army is voluntary and is open to all Indian citizens irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
"The army extends relaxation to the people of north- eastern states and Jammu and Kashmir in terms of age and education is concerned, but there is no relaxation as far as the physical standards are concerned," an army officer based in Udhampur said.