Srinagar, February 11: In a show of strong unity, thousands of pensioners, senior citizens, government employees, daily wagers, contractual workers, and temporary staff took to the streets today across Jammu and Kashmir under the banner of the Jammu and Kashmir Pensioners & Senior Citizens United Front, in coordination with the Employees Joint Action Committee (R).
Massive demonstrations were held in major locations, including a prominent protest at the Agriculture Complex, Lal Mandi, Srinagar, where scores of daily wagers and temporary workers participated enthusiastically. The Srinagar rally was led by senior trade union leader S. Umar Bhat, along with Mohammad Afzal Bhat Fatehpuri, Ghulam Hassan Yattoo, Mohammed Yousuf, Imran Parray, Javed Ahmad, Mohammad Arif Bhat, and Jehangir Ahmad.
The protesters voiced deep frustration over years of unresolved grievances causing severe financial hardship to families reliant on government service and pensions. Key leaders, including State President Babu Hussain Malik, Chairman Rafiq Ahmad Khanyari, Chief Advisor Girdhari Lal Chanda, General Secretary Yashpaul Sharma, and Muzafer Nabi, condemned government inaction amid rising living costs, unemployment, and stagnation in promotions.
The core demands include immediate regularization of all categories of daily wagers, ad-hoc, contractual, and seasonal workers (including Rehbar-e-Khel, ASHA, Anganwadi, NHM, Home Guards, and others); release of pending GPF, gratuity, leave salary, and other dues withheld for over a year; enhancement of medical allowance to match other UTs; implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS); promotion of KAS and feeding cadre officers against vacant posts; restoration of withheld increments; release of frozen DA from the COVID period; and hike in old age pension to ₹5000.
Leaders warned of intensified agitations if the government fails to act swiftly, stressing that these genuine, long-overdue issues affect administrative efficiency and public welfare. The protest highlighted the urgent need for a fair employment policy to curb youth frustration and job insecurity.
