Workers, labour class face injustice in JK: Tarigami

Srinagar: CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami Sunday said that the workers and labour class in J&K have been at the receiving end, facing complete injustice and an ‘onslaught’ which could be only addressed by unifying the working class and proper implementation of labour laws.

Tarigami while addressing a rally held under the banner of CITU here said that daily wagers, need base workers and other daily rated workers are beaten for seeking their earned wages.

“Even, the maximum wages guaranteed under the labour laws are not paid to them. These earned wages are denied to them for months and years together,” he said.

He added that after exhausting every option to seek the release of their wages, they are forced to protest to press for their demand.

“It is shame for the government that a labour is forced to protest to seek the release of earned wages. He is beaten for seeking his right,” he added.

“Isolated efforts can’t be effective, be united and bold enough to safeguard the democratic rights of the workers and defeat the anti worker policies of successive governments” Tarigami said.

Tarigami said destitute engaged in government and private sector as ad-hoc, casual, seasonal, need based, contingency paid workers and contractuals are facing the brunt of ‘ brazen flouting’ of the labour laws.

He said workers are neglected and their long pending demands are not met. The traditional artisans and weavers also reap little benefits of their hard toil and even were badly hit in the last floods are awaiting rehabilitation.

Commenting on the controversial SRO 105, Tarigami said there must be immediate revocation of this law that deprives livelihood to hundreds of labourers associated with quarrying and construction business.

“Drastic cuts on allocations by the central government in the welfare schemes like ICDS, Mid-day-meal, NHM with the motive of finally doing away with such pro-people schemes and programmes altogether has desperately disillusioned the human resource working tirelessly and being meagerly paid under these schemes,” he said.

He added that labour laws in the state are not in tune with the interests of workers in organized and unorganized sector and there was imminent need to amend and update these laws.

“Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services Act, 1996 to protect the rights of labourers working in construction projects has failed to benefit them. The Building and Other Construction Workers Act 1996 too has been a failure,” he said.

Tarigami lamented the government demanding a comprehensive employment policy in the state to guarantee much employment avenues under public and private sectors and harnessing the talented human resource.

Paying rich tributes to Zaldagar martyrs of 1865, Tarigami said that they laid the edifice of a struggle against the exploitation and atrocities on the artisans, a prominent section of working class.

General Secretary CITU and Member of Parliament, Tapen Sen in his address castigated the central government said that the social security benefits like pension, provident fund, health insurance etc. are hard won rights of the working class secured through decades of struggle.

Among others who addressed the rally included President of All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers & Helpers and CITU Secretary, K Hemlata and Veteran Kisan leader Ghulam Nabi Malik. (KNS)