No assurance on transfers, Kashmiri Pandit staff disappointed as Amit Shah’s UT visit concludes

Our Correspondent

Jammu, October 6

The Kashmiri Pandit and Dalit employees, who have been protesting in Jammu for nearly four months demanding their relocation out of Kashmir, have been left disheartened with the conclusion of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s three-day UT visit. They were expecting Shah to come up with some announcement regarding their transfer from the Valley to safe areas. They have urged the government to pay heed to their demands at the earliest.

The protests by Dalit and Kashmiri Pandit employees have been going on at different places in Jammu since militants began targeting employees, mostly non-Muslims, in the Valley.

It was the 128th day of protest by the Dalit employees who have been demonstrating under the banner of the All Jammu Based Reserve Category Employees Association, Kashmir. The employees from the community fled to Jammu after terrorists killed a Dalit teacher, Rajni Bala, in Kulgam on May 31 this year.

Similarly, Pandit employees had intensified their protest after a revenue clerk, Rahul Bhat, was gunned down in his office in Chadoora, Budgam, in May this year.

Amit Shah was in J&K from October 3 to 5 and addressed two rallies in Rajouri and Baramulla. The employees were expecting that he would announce their transfer to Jammu.

Naresh Bhagat, a Dalit employee, said, “Some officials of rural, forest and health departments are forcing the employees to resume their duties. They have also warned of strict action despite continuous targeted killing of minorities and policemen. The distressed employees are being further victimised by the officials.”

He said the employees believed that Amit Shah would pass directions to the administration for redressal of their concerns, but to no avail.

Another Dalit employee, who didn’t wish to be named, said Shah should have announced shifting of Hindu employees from Kashmir to Jammu. “It has become clear that frequent terror attacks on non-locals can’t be stopped by the security establishment as these have been going on for long. The only way is to relocate the protesting employees,” he said.

Kashmiri Pandit employees submitted a memorandum through the administration to Amit Shah regarding their transfer to Jammu.

Rubon Saproo, a Kashmiri Pandit employee, said a memorandum was submitted to the Home Minister. “We expect the government to take action on our demand soon. It is understood that the Home Minister was busy in other important matters of J&K during his visit,” said Saproo.

Demonstration goes on for months

The employees intensified their agitation after a clerk, Rahul Bhat, was gunned down in Budgam and a schoolteacher, Rajni Bala, was killed in Kulgam by militants in May this year.

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