Mayor accuses police of thrashing SMC workers for ‘entertainment’, to write to PM

Srinagar, Apr 15 (UNI) Alleging that SMC workers are being thrashed by police for ‘entertainment’, Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu on Wednesday said that he can’t be a mute spectator to this brutalisation.

The Srinagar Mayor further alleged that he was threatened by an officer, who warned him not to speak about this. However, Mr Mattu said that he will write to the Prime Minister and seek his intervention in the matter and action against the accused.

Mr Mattu in a series of tweets said that the sense of dignity of sanitation workers — “Corona Warriors” — needs to be restored in Srinagar and their harassment and humiliation is unacceptable.

The Mayor also shared a video of policemen thrashing alleged SMC workers somewhere in the city. “After multiple instances of sanitation workers being brutally beaten by policemen in Srinagar, I again brought the matter into the notice of SSP Srinagar yesterday – along with this video – where SMC employees are being singled out, thrashed, abused – as if for entertainment,” Mr Mattu twitted.

He said rather than at least pretending to be objective in dealing with these repeated brutal transgressions – the said Officer – elaborately – told me how “Municipality is Municipality” and “SMC is trying to reach the sky”. “Reminding me of the number of policemen he commands,” he said.

“SMC has been at the FOREFRONT of Srinagar’s heroic battle against #Covid19. SMC INITIATED the response in Srinagar. 5,000 of our workers took relentlessly every single day – risking their own health and safety for the people. They don’t deserve abuses and humiliation,” he added.

He said this mindset needs to change. “I appreciate the role being played by the Police, by our doctors, by the @srinagaradmin and ALL departments and agencies BUT I can’t be a mute spectator to the police brutalizing sanitation workers for entertainment,” he said.

“The said officer has also warned me to not speak about this and that is all the more reason I’m going to speak about this and STAND UP for the last sanitation worker out in Srinagar! Their sense of dignity is non-negotiable to me. I couldn’t care less about these threats,” he twitted.

He said while the PM has termed sanitation workers as “Corona Warriors” and as Srinagar has been considered to be one 16 best performing cities in the country – the sanitation workers here are being beaten black and blue. Repeatedly,”

He said he will write to the PM Modi and also the Chief Secretary J&K – seeking appropriate action. “The sense of dignity of our sanitation workers – our “Corona Warriors” needs to be restored and upheld in Srinagar. Their harassment and humiliation is unacceptable,” he said.

“I also extend my FULL moral support to all SMC employees and especially the BRAVE sanitation workers on the ground! They’ve been working tirelessly for three weeks! Going above and beyond their call of duty! They are heroes and I will not allow for them to be brutalized,” he wrote.