The statement given by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that the process of phase-wise regularisation of all daily wagers would begin in a legal, financially viable manner in 2026 has rekindled hopes of the distressed lot of daily wagers as all eyes are on NC Government’s next move to deliver justice.
Considering the remarks made by Omar Abdullah on the floor of the House that if he was not sincere on the issue, he would have kept mum for three or three-and-a-half years and during the last year (of term) he would have brought this issue, it seems that the time has come when the genuine demands of daily wagers will be taken up with due seriousness.
It is pertinent to mention that for years together this section of society has been craving for justice seeking support from several successive governments in the past but till date only assurances have come from the power corridor side. This is opportune time for the NC government to prove its mettle and show that it really wants to give succour to the people who have been exploited for so long that many among them have become over aged and have stepped into their second innings of life without seeing the fulfillment of promises made by those sitting at helm in the past.
All said and done, the NC government should work out how it can mitigate this prolonged crisis in J&K by bailing out the hapless daily wagers from misery and ensuring their regularization on merit. This surely is a litmus test for Omar Abdullah because justice with daily wagers can improve his image manifold times making him stand tall against all the contemporary political personalities which otherwise can give him fight in upcoming political contests.
Now the onus lies squarely on the Chief Minister as his words in the Assembly have raised expectations but in actuality it is action on the ground that truly makes a difference and will restore people’s faith. As daily wagers have waited patiently for long, reeling under uncertainty and neglect, it is the time that their issues be tackled with fairness without any duplicity.
It is high time for Omar Abdullah to come up with a roadmap to address the issue objectively because dilly dallying the issue will deepen disappointment leading to alienation of the electorate, which can prove disastrous in the coming time as far as political gains are concerned.
This indeed is a crucial moment for the NC Government because by resolving the issue with utter seriousness, the government can correct a historic wrong and transform hope into justice.
