KP, reserved category staff wary

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, November 1

With sudden spurt in targeted attacks by ultras during the past three days in Kashmir, over 8,000 Kashmiri Pandit and reserved category employees working in the Valley are feeling unsafe yet again.

The recent attacks have inflicted a blow to the assurance of the government regarding safe environment in the Valley. Many Kashmiri Pandits under PM employment package and reserved category employees from Jammu, who are serving in the Valley, were attacked last year by terrorists.

While many of the Kashmiri Pandit employees were shifted to Srinagar from far-off areas, some of them are still serving in different departments in other parts of the Valley. There are over 6,000 Kashmiri Pandit and nearly 2,500 reserved category employees working in Kashmir. Fearing for their safety, these employees had fled the Valley during the G-20 meet in May and Independence Day this year.

A Kashmiri Pandit employee, who did not want to be identified due to safety reasons, said that the employees who are still living in far-off areas are worried over the sudden rise in targeted attacks on policemen and civilians. “While the government has taken measures for the safety of the employees from minority community, we still fear as the situation is worrisome due to these attacks” he said.

On the other hand, reserved category employees working in Kashmir have again urged the government to transfer them to safer areas in Jammu division.

Naresh Bhagat, member of All Jammu Based Reserved Category Employees Association, said the employees from minority community working in Kashmir have requested the government time and again for their transfer out of the Valley but nothing has been done so far.

Rajni Bala, a Dalit teacher, was killed on May 31 in the Gopalpora area of Kulgam district. She was going to the school when she was shot dead. Bala belonged to Jammu and was serving for years in Kashmir.

The J&K administration had in October last year constituted a committee chaired by Principal Secretary to Higher Education Department to examine various aspects of transfer policy for the reserved category employees. However, no action was taken regarding the issue.

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