Recent transfers raise Kashmiri Pandits’ relocation hope

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, August 3

Kashmiri Pandit employees have intensified their protests to pressurise the government to frame a transfer policy to relocate them to Jammu. For over two months they have been holding protests at the different transit camps in Kashmir. The recent transfer of five employees has raised hopes among them that they too would be heard.

“The relocation of employees has started and it is a welcome step. Now, the government should continue the process and shift all of us to Jammu so that we can work comfortably in a safe environment,” Ashwini Pandita, a leader of the All Minority Employees Association Kashmir told The Tribune.

Officials said 5,928 employees appointed since 2010 had been currently working under the PM package in J&K.

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.

With the transfer of five migrant employees, Pandita said the bond becomes infructuous and the government has no right to deny their transfer to Jammu. Last week, the landscape division of the Public Works Department (Roads and Buildings) ordered transfer of five in-charge assistant engineers from Kashmir to Jammu.

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