Protesting contractual workers appointed under 14th Finance Commission were beaten black and blue by police at Birsa Chowk in State Capital on Friday afternoon. The contractual workers were going to gherao Chief Minister Residence who were stopped by police.
The agitating contract workers who are protesting for past one month near old Assembly premises on Friday afternoon staged a protest march to Chief Minister’s residence. However, the contact workers were stopped near Birsa Chowk. The police first tried to pacify the agitating contact workers, but the contact workers were adamant of their demands. The contact workers were shouting slogans against the state government. The police left with no other alternative lathi-charged contact workers in which dozens contact workers including women were injured.
After the police action, the agitating contact workers ran here and there leading to chaos in the area. The protesting contact workers shouted slogans against the state government claiming that government no concern with their demands. A worker requesting anonymity said, “The JMM/Congress Government in its election manifesto had promised to provide employment to youths, but the present government which has failed to provide jobs is also snatching jobs from us. The present government has failed on all fronts.”
Meanwhile, the Friday police action on contact workers has given a tool in the hands of opposition BJP to target state government. Former Chief Minister and BJP vice-president Raghubar Das targeting the State Government condemned police action on contact workers.
Das said, “On the issue of contact workers appointed under 14th finance commission he had a talk with Union Minister Tomar jee. He told that State Government can regularize the services of contact workers.
But the State Government running away from regularization of services of contact workers on plea that state government has no fund to meet the expenses.”
The contractual workers appointed under 14th Finance Commission have been demonstrating at Birsa Chowk in Ranchi for past one month, seeking their service extension. Around 1600 Junior Engineers and Accounts Clerks were appointed in Jharkhand under the 14th Finance Commission.
There service expired on March 2020, but the government gave them service extension of three months and then six months. However, after the government terminated their service in December 2020.
The contractual workers claimed that while on one hand government has terminated the service of contractual workers appointed under 14th finance commission, the state government has started the process of appointment of contractual workers under 15th finance commission.