Tanveer Hussain
Budgam, Sep 17: National Health Mission (NHM) employees protesting over their long-pending service-related demands received support from Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday, as their strike across Jammu and Kashmir entered its eighth day.
Ruhullah joined the protesting NHM employees in Budgam and expressed solidarity with their ongoing agitation. The employees have been seeking resolution to issues of service security, pay parity, and other employment-related demands.
NHM employees have been pressing the administration to address their demands through a comprehensive mechanism rather than temporary measures. Their concerns include regularisation or long-term job security, parity in pay and benefits, and social-security-related provisions.
The agitation entered its eighth consecutive day on Thursday, with employees continuing their protest despite the disruption to their routine duties.
Ruhullah’s participation in the Budgam protest comes amid growing political attention to the NHM employees’ demands. His presence provided a public platform to the workers at a time when the administration is facing pressure to resolve the dispute and prevent prolonged disruption of health services.
The protesting employees have maintained that their demands concern the conditions under which they have continued working for years and that a lasting policy decision is required to address their employment insecurity.[KNT]
