With over 4.5 lakh government employees adamant to go ahead with their agitation despite a warning, Jammu and Kashmir unit of CPI(M) today asked the government to shun its "confrontational" approach and fulfil the "genuine" demands of employees without further delay.
"Striving for genuine demands is the basic and fundamental right of the citizens under the Constitution and serving ultimatums of service breaks, terminations or dismissals is contrary to the spirit of democracy," CPI(M) state secretary M Y Tarigami said in a statement here.
After the failure of talks between the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) and the cabinet Sub-committee on last Friday, the JCC announced a five-day agitation programme beginning tomorrow to press for their demands including enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years.
However, the government next day issued a circular and decided to act tough against the employees if they go ahead with their agitation.
"Apart from enforcement of the principles of 'no work no wages', action as may be deemed appropriate, may be taken against those instigating/participating in strikes/hartals.
"Such actions shall include treating the period of the unauthorised absence as dies-non/break in service and may even entail dismissal from service," a government spokesman, quoting a circular issued by the General Administration Department, had said.
Expressing concern over the government's "confrontational approach", Tarigami said "it is unfortunate that instead of persuading the protesting employees, the government has resorted to ultimatums like an authoritarian regime.
"In our state it is unfortunate that confrontation and use of force seem to be the only options available with the government to deal with protesting employees. This tactic needs to be changed in the better interests of the government as well as the people," he said.
