Samba Times Special
Jammu, October 28, 2025 : The anger of daily wagers has erupted against the Omar Abdullah government in Jammu and Kashmir. Hundreds of daily wagers from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department staged a massive protest outside the Jal Shakti office in Jammu on Monday. The protesters accused CM Omar Abdullah of making grand promises during the elections to secure votes, but after coming to power, leaving daily wagers to wander in despair. Their primary demand is the immediate tabling of the committee report on daily wagers’ regularization in the Assembly.
Organized under the banner of the PHE Employees United Front (Jammu Province), this dharna was described as the 1,225th day of protest. Hundreds of workers attempted to march toward the Assembly, but police stopped them. The area echoed with slogans like “Deliver justice, table the report” and “Give justice to daily wagers.” In a video from the protest, workers were seen taunting the CM, saying, “When it was time to ask for votes, you took off your cap repeatedly and made promises, talked about increasing salaries, but now daily wagers are left helpless!”
Front leader Ravi Hans said at the protest site, “We have been demanding long-pending regularization from the government. The committee’s report must be tabled immediately in the current Assembly session. We don’t want to take to the streets, but if the government forces us, we will have no choice.” Hans further explained that during the previous Assembly session, it was only after hitting the streets that the CM announced the formation of the committee, whose term expired in September, but there is no trace of the report. “Our demand is for a clear policy for daily wagers that considers humanitarian, legal, and financial aspects.”This protest took place on the second day of the Assembly session, which began on October 23. PHE daily wagers had also registered their protest on the very first day of the session. The six-member committee, formed on March 19 under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, was tasked with preparing a report on the regularization of daily wagers, seasonal laborers, and other workers. The committee was given six months, but even after submitting the report by September 19, it has not been made public. It is estimated that around 67,000 daily wagers across Jammu and Kashmir are awaiting this policy.
The opposition has also targeted the government. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti wrote on social media, “One of the most urgent issues as the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly resumes is the plight of nearly one lakh daily wagers. All MLAs, whether from the ruling NC or the opposition, must unite to give these workers the dignity and job security they deserve.”The protesters warned that if their demands are not met, they will intensify the movement on a larger scale, which could include blocking roads and besieging the Assembly. On the other hand, there has been no official response from the government yet.
Experts believe this issue could heat up during the Assembly session, especially as the regularization process remains pending amid financial and legal constraints.This struggle reflects the long suffering of daily wagers, who have been fighting for job stability and fair wages for years. Whether the Omar Abdullah government will fulfill its election promises remains to be seen—only time will tell.
