NC, PDP misleading daily wagers: BJP

A day after a ruckus in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over the issue of regularisation of daily wagers, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of misleading workers with “fake promises.”

BJP leader Abhijeet Jasrotia said his party is committed to secure justice for the daily wagers, pointing out the “decades of betrayal” they have suffered under successive governments.

Addressing the media, Jasrotia explained that the daily wagers’ plight began in 1996-97, when they were initially appointed on false promises made by the NC, followed by the PDP and Congress. “All of them played the same role of misleading and exploiting these workers,” he added.

For over two decades, these workers endured harsh conditions and earned meager wages of Rs 500-700 per month, Jasrotia said, while their hopes of regularisation were repeatedly dashed.

He further stated that it was the BJP that took a proactive stance on the issue, ensuring a significant salary hike for daily wagers, increasing their wages to Rs 9,000 per month. Jasrotia recalled that during the elections, the BJP had made a clear promise to the daily wagers that their regularisation would be the first decision of the Assembly. “However, despite securing 1.5 lakh more votes than the NC, the BJP found itself in the opposition,” he lamented.

Jasrotia also criticised Omar Abdullah for attempting to deflect the issue when BJP Leader of Opposition, Sunil Sharma, raised it in the Assembly.