Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the police action against protesting daily wage employees of the Jal Shakti department should not have happened, but he does not have control over the police.
As the Assembly session began, opposition members raised concerns over the large-scale protests by daily wage workers demanding their pending wages and job regularisation.
They also criticised the lathi charge on the protesters. A heated argument broke out between BJP and National Conference members, leading BJP legislators to walk out in protest.
During the discussion, Abdullah responded to BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa, saying that while he was questioning the police's handling of the protesters, neither he nor Randhawa had any control over the police.
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He added that instead of creating a commotion in the House, it would have been more effective to raise the issue with the Lieutenant Governor, who actually holds control over the police.
The Chief Minister clarified that the protesters were not beaten up on government orders and that they should not have been treated this way. He emphasised that these employees are an important part of the system and that their demands are justified.
He described the issue as a humanitarian one rather than a financial problem and stressed that the workers should have been treated with more sensitivity.
Abdullah expressed hope that the concerns raised in the Assembly had reached the police and that similar incidents would not happen in the future. He said that when these workers fight for their rights again, they should not have to face police batons.
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