PDP walks out of House; Tarigami withdraws bill after govt assurances
Jammu, Apr 01: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday reiterated his commitment that regularisation of daily-wagers will begin in this year, saying that the process will commence in a phased manner.
Speaking in the Assembly, CM Omar, per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said it is the first day of the financial year and he has committed that within this financial year the process of regularisation will begin in a phased manner.
He added that the government is awaiting the report of the committee examining the issue and assured that its recommendations will be implemented.
Meanwhile, acknowledging the assurance, CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami said repeated commitments from the government are necessary to remove uncertainty among workers. He welcomed the Chief Minister’s stance and withdrew his bill, stating he would not press it further.
Soon after, PDP MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para moved a similar bill seeking regularisation of ad-hoc, daily wagers, need-based and other temporary workers. The government opposed the bill, citing similarity with the proposal already discussed.
Para said the issue has been repeatedly raised by all political parties but remains unresolved. He termed it a humanitarian concern and said mere statements would not address the plight of thousands of workers.
During his speech, Para attempted to refer to other issues, including land grants, which led to intervention by the Speaker. He was directed to confine his remarks to the bill under discussion. As Para continued to raise related concerns, the Speaker snubbed him from deviating from the subject.
The situation escalated into a heated exchange, following which Para protested and staged a walkout from the House.
The Chief Minister accused Para and his party of politicising the issue for publicity. He said the government’s intent was clear and that it had already made a time-bound commitment on regularisation.
He also rejected allegations made by Para on other matters, including housing, stating that former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had been allocated accommodation. He said the opposition was spreading misinformation and attempting to mislead the House.
The Chief Minister further alleged that the opposition was deliberately creating disruptions after failing to generate controversy on other legislative matters. He maintained that the government remains committed to addressing the concerns of daily wagers through a structured and legally sound process. (KNO)
