Cong-NC row over retirement age decision
‘Nothing will be accepted at the cost of Congress’
Srinagar: The Congress has taken strong exception to what it called ‘distasteful announcement’ of government decision on enhancement in retirement age of employees without even mentioning about Congress proposal mooted out some two years ago.
Talking to KNS, Prof Saifuddin Soz, president Pradesh Congress Committee said that the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should have talked to the employees delegations after the cabinet proceedings were over and he should have placed on record the cooperation and given by the Congress party in arriving at a major decision.
Soz said that it was Congress which had mooted out the proposal of enhancement in retirement and recruitment ages over two and a half years ago and the party wanted a comprehensive employment package be created before the decision on retirement age is taken.
“The way information department issued a handout on the enhancement of retirement age gives a wrong signal. It has been portrayed as if this relief has been granted to employees by NC all by itself. That is not the case. Mr Vikar Rasool has taken this issue with the directorate of information,” the PCC president told KNS. He said that Congress was already pushing its proposal to enhance the retirement and recruitment ages. He said that though the chief minister mentioned about Congress approval to the decision given at its meeting in Broadway but unfortunately he missed to mention this in his meeting with employees today. “Unfortunately not a single word has been uttered before the employees’ delegation which Mr Omar Abdullah met before the cabinet meeting today. This is distasteful,” he added. Soz remarked that Congress is prepared to cooperate with its coalition partner National Conference until the last day of the government but ‘nothing will be accepted at the cost of Congress.’