Kashmir kids burn books as parents fail to pay fees

Srinagar, Oct 23 : Scores of students burnt their textbooks here after they were expelled from schools for failing to pay fees.

Parents have not been paid salaries for six months by the state transport department.

Children holding books in their arms and black flags started their rally from Transport Headquarters shouting slogans against the State Government for not paying salaries to their parents.

Children said they could not cope any further with the mental stress and burning their books seemed the only way out to express their anger.

"We were not getting admission in schools then what's the use of these books. That's why we are burning these books. We are having exams in schools but we have been expelled from there. We are compelled to walk the wrong path," said Usra Jan, daughter of a striking employee of the transport department.

The children demanded the State Government to release the salaries of striking employees of the Road Transport Corporation in Srinagar.

Tens of thousands of the transport employees in the past have staged many protests demanding the release of their salary pending for last six months and a pay hike as per recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission.

The protesters alleged that Kashmir Government was not taking any note of their demands.

The demands include enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60, regularization of contractual, ad-hoc and casual workers as per merit, amendment in the Wage Act including increase in wages of the daily wagers and casual laborers from current 2,100 rupees monthly to 5,000 rupees.