There was an uproar in Jammu and Kashmir over the issue of regularisation of daily wagers with the opposition BJP legislators staging walkout.
The opposition MLAs raised the issue in the House stating that the government has not framed any policy to regularise the daily wagers and also there is no provision in the budget for them.
Soon after the Question Hour, the LoP Sunil Sharma rose from his seat and said that the government should respond to the demand of regularization of daily wagers.
“The strike of daily wagers had triggered a water crisis, and it is unfortunate that there is no response from the government”, said the LoP.
He said that he also drew the attention of the House to the issue the previous day but to no avail.
In response, the Deputy Chief Minister accused BJP MLAs of orchestrating protests to attract media attention, leading to a heated exchange between the treasury and opposition benches.
Amid the uproar, Minister Satish Sharma condemned the use of force against daily wagers, emphasizing that the police fall under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and that the government sympathized with the protesters.
In an attempt to pacify the agitating MLAs, the Speaker said that a committee had already been constituted and it would look into the issues of the daily wagers.
Amid shouts, the legislators were demanding a reply from the government.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his reply raised fingers at the BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma, who was the then PHE Minister from the Congress party in the previous Omar Abdullah headed government.
“What have you done for the daily wagers when you were the PHE Minister in my Government,” Omar asked.
“We have already framed a committee on daily wagers issue and have sought six months' time,” he said adding, “I have full faith in my Chief Secretary and his team of officers in the Committee that they will come out with a concrete solution.”
Omar appealed to the protesting daily wagers to resume their duties and by the time let the committee complete its assigned task and submit the report.”
Meanwhile BJP legislators created ruckus and staged walkout.
Later, speaking to media outside the House, BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma said that a committee was constituted in the NC-Cong alliance government on daily wagers issues of which the sitting Legislative Assembly Speaker was the Chairman.
“We will be holding a press conference tomorrow with all documents and proofs we have related to the decision taken and under consideration at the time,” he said.
Hundreds of protesting daily wagers were prevented from marching towards the Civil Secretariat for the fifth consecutive day.
Police also resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse them, but they staged a sit-in at Shalimar Chowk, near the Civil Secretariat.