Mumbai, Mar 20: Mumbaikars who were planning a "rail roko" agitation in support of
their various demands decided to call it off on Tuesday after the intervention
of the top Central Railway officials and Railway ministry.
The government gave a written assurance to the protestors, following which the agitation was finally withdrawn around 1045 hrs.
The agitators who were demanding permanent jobs for the students working as apprentices in different technical workshops of the Railways, suspended their protest after deciding to discuss the issue with the Railway Board.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has assured that discussions will be held with the students .
In a statement , CR clarified, 'There is no provision of jobs for apprentices under the Apprentice Act. They are given only training for a specified period to improve their skills and experience of having worked in the field. The Ministry of Railways has, however, reserved 20 per cent of seats for ‘Course Completed Act Apprentices’ that are filled through direct recruitment. The deadline to fill the form is March 31."
But a minor clash took place in which a few students were injured when police resorted to lathi-charge to move them out of the tracks.
'The Rail Roko' issue surfaced in the Assembly too. The chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis said, no rules have changed, 20 per cent seats are reserved for apprentices but they are demanding more. "
" Lathi-charge was done after agitators started pelting stones, no one was injured," Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said in the State Assembly.
Meanwhile, the MNS chief Raj Thackeray met the agitators and assured them that he will send his representative along with student leaders to Delhi to meet the railway minister tomorrow to resolve the issue.
'Earlier in the day, scores of students agitated demanding jobs in railways and blocked rail traffic, including suburban services between Matunga and Dadar stations, causing hardships to lakhs of commuters,' a Central Railway official said.
' The protestors who have passed the Railway act apprentice exam are demanding removal of 20 per cent upper limit in hiring of candidates for Railway jobs. They want the entire quota to be filled by students who have passed the test,' the official stated.
The students' complaint was that "as apprentice students we have worked for many years but have not been recruited. As we have already passed these written tests, again Railway board was asking us to appear for written test, which is unfair."
Students shouting slogans against railways held placard in their hands demanding one time settlement from GM quota and said they demand jobs from government.
In the aftermath of the protest, the morning peak hour suburban and long-distance train services were severely disrupted as hundreds of protestors squatted on the railway tracks between Matunga and Dadar on the CR.
'The ‘rail roko’ affected train movement on all the four lines between Matunga and CSMT sections, 'informed the CR officer. UNI
The government gave a written assurance to the protestors, following which the agitation was finally withdrawn around 1045 hrs.
The agitators who were demanding permanent jobs for the students working as apprentices in different technical workshops of the Railways, suspended their protest after deciding to discuss the issue with the Railway Board.
Meanwhile, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has assured that discussions will be held with the students .
In a statement , CR clarified, 'There is no provision of jobs for apprentices under the Apprentice Act. They are given only training for a specified period to improve their skills and experience of having worked in the field. The Ministry of Railways has, however, reserved 20 per cent of seats for ‘Course Completed Act Apprentices’ that are filled through direct recruitment. The deadline to fill the form is March 31."
But a minor clash took place in which a few students were injured when police resorted to lathi-charge to move them out of the tracks.
'The Rail Roko' issue surfaced in the Assembly too. The chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis said, no rules have changed, 20 per cent seats are reserved for apprentices but they are demanding more. "
" Lathi-charge was done after agitators started pelting stones, no one was injured," Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said in the State Assembly.
Meanwhile, the MNS chief Raj Thackeray met the agitators and assured them that he will send his representative along with student leaders to Delhi to meet the railway minister tomorrow to resolve the issue.
'Earlier in the day, scores of students agitated demanding jobs in railways and blocked rail traffic, including suburban services between Matunga and Dadar stations, causing hardships to lakhs of commuters,' a Central Railway official said.
' The protestors who have passed the Railway act apprentice exam are demanding removal of 20 per cent upper limit in hiring of candidates for Railway jobs. They want the entire quota to be filled by students who have passed the test,' the official stated.
The students' complaint was that "as apprentice students we have worked for many years but have not been recruited. As we have already passed these written tests, again Railway board was asking us to appear for written test, which is unfair."
Students shouting slogans against railways held placard in their hands demanding one time settlement from GM quota and said they demand jobs from government.
In the aftermath of the protest, the morning peak hour suburban and long-distance train services were severely disrupted as hundreds of protestors squatted on the railway tracks between Matunga and Dadar on the CR.
'The ‘rail roko’ affected train movement on all the four lines between Matunga and CSMT sections, 'informed the CR officer. UNI
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