NC workers stage protests against decision to treat J-K bank as PSU

Workers of the National Conference Saturday took out protest rallies across the Jammu division, seeking revocation of the decision of Governor S P Malik-led state administrative council to treat the J&K bank as a public sector undertaking (PSU).

The main rally was taken out from NC headquarters at the Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan with dozens of workers carrying the placards in support of their demand for immediate rollback of the decision for the larger interests of the state which enjoy special position, a party spokesman said.

The protesters led by district president Dharamveer Singh Jamwal staged a sit-in dharna at busy Raghunath chowk.

They criticized the decision and expressed apprehensions that this would adversely impact the functioning of the bank and shake the confidence of its huge clientele.

The agitators also castigated the administration for eroding the special status of the state, saying such decisions are detrimental to the interests of the people.

Former minister of state for home and MLC Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo led a protest in Kishtwar district and alleged that the decision reflects the "anti-people" mindset of fiddling with the basic characters of the special status of the state.

"The decision has put a question mark on the special status of the state. All these attempts will be fought tooth and nail and nobody will be allowed to fiddle with the special entity of Jammu and Kashmir," Kichloo said.

The protests were also held at Samba, Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Ramban, Banihal, Udhampur, Billawar, Reasi , Gool-Gulabgarh, Bishnah, R S Pura and other places of the Jammu division, the spokesman said.

Leaders of the NC presented a memorandum to authorities against the government's decision and called for its immediate rollback.