'Choked financially', Kashmiri Pandits suspend agitation

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, March 4

Kashmiri Pandit employees on Saturday suspended their protest after their 10-month-long agitation failed to pressure the government to meet their demand for relocation from Kashmir.

The J&K administration has not released the salaries of the protesting Pandit employees for not joining their duties.

The employees, hired under the Prime Minister’s special job scheme, had been protesting for the past over 300 days in Jammu, demanding relocation outside Kashmir.

“We don’t have money to feed our families now. The government has punished us by stopping our salaries,” said one of the protesting employees. Neha, who was part of the protest, said they were left with no option but to “surrender” before the government after it “stopped their salaries”.

“We do not feel safe there (in Kashmir) but nobody is listening to us. The government exploited the employees by stopping our salaries and choking us financially,” she said.

On May 12, militants killed Rahul Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit employee inside his office at Chadoora in Budgam district.

The killing evoked massive protests by Kashmiri Pandits employed under the PM’s scheme and posted in different parts of Kashmir.

Officials said 5,928 employees appointed since 2010 were currently working under the PM package in Jammu and Kashmir.

They demanded relocation to Jammu until they feel safe in Kashmir. Under the PM’s special employment scheme for migrants, the employees have to sign a judicial agreement that they will not seek transfer outside Kashmir.

Since May, hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit employees have escaped from Kashmir and are demanding relocation from the Valley to safer places in Jammu province.

The government has refused to accept such demands. On Monday, scores of protesters had assembled outside the Relief Commissioner’s office in Jammu and staged a protest against the killing of Sanjay Sharma (40), a bank ATM guard who was shot dead by terrorists at Achan village in Pulwama.

Muslims should step forward

Kashmiri Muslims should come forward to ensure the security of Hindus in the Valley. — RK Bhat, Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj chief

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