Had shifted to Jammu last year when their camps were targeted
Hundreds of displaced Kashmiri Pandit employees engaged under the Prime Minister’s employment package are in a dilemma after the government issued an ultimatum asking them join duties in Kashmir within 15 days or face termination.
The youth who returned to the Valley in 2010 had given an undertaking that they would not seek transfer and attachment outside Kashmir under the rehabilitation package announced by then Congress-led UPA government in 2008.
However, last year when the Valley witnessed violence following the elimination of militant commander Burhan Wani and transit camps inhabited by employees belonging to minority community were targeted, all 2,000 employees shifted to Jammu. Of these, nearly 500 employees, especially women posted in the volatile south Kashmir districts of Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian, didn’t return to the Valley.
A few days back, Education Minister Altaf Bukhari had urged the PM package employees to return or face consequences under the rules. Though representatives of employees say that Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and other senior officials have assured them during meetings that employees will not be forced to return until normalcy is restored but several warnings have been issued.
“Those employees who shifted to Jammu during the 2016 unrest and didn’t return for the fear of violence are caught up in circumstances of their own making. The undertaking they signed has weakened their case,” said a prominent community leader.
“We are not against returning but the situation is quite volatile in Kashmir. When policemen themselves are not feeling secure, how can the administration assure security of employees belonging to a minority community?” asks Vinod Pandit, chairman, All Party Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC).
Pandit claimed that many employees, especially women, are thinking of resigning in view of the indifferent attitude adopted by some officers and ministers of the government.
“For the last six years, we have performed our duties with sincerity. We never complained despite poor facilities but the issue now is our security. Who will guarantee it?” said Vijay Raina, an employee.
Meanwhile, a delegation of executive body members of All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), led by its president Ravinder Raina, called on Relief Commissioner ML Raina and discussed with him various issues especially those of employees. “We have taken up issues of employees and the Commissioner said that the government would take steps to ensure that employees don’t feel harassed. Let us see what will be the outcome,” Raina added.
