Congress backs GISF 'jawans’' demands

Jawans of Gujarat Industrial Security Force (GISF) whose indefinite strike and fast entered the seventh day on Sunday got a morale booster from Congress when senior party leaders visited them and extended their support to the cause.

Senior Congress leaders Shankarsinh Vaghela and Shaktisinh Gohil visited the fasting jawans at Pathik Ashram in Gandhinagar, to express their concern and solidarity. Recalling the purpose with which the GISF was set up by his government in 1997, Vaghela said that the intention was to provide employment to thousands of unemployed youth for five years on fixed wages and later to absorb them in police force on regular pay scale.

"It is unfortunate that though more than 14 years have passed, the services of the jawans have neither been regularized nor have their pays hiked," he said. He further added that the strike is absolutely justified. He also assured to re-instate them when the Congress party comes in to power in Gujarat. "In case they are removed from service, we shall reinstate them with full back wages,” Vaghela said.