Omkar Dattatray
Kashmiri Pandits in general and package employees in particular need a healing touch and soft approach on the part of the centre government and the LG administration. Kashmiri Pandit package employees need a human touch and approach because the problems of the package employees should be resolved through the prism of humanity. The scars and wounds of the package employees are very deep, serious and they need to be filled & healed to give some succor to these employees. These unfortunate sons of mother India stand forlorn, dejected and isolated in their own country and state. They feel much insecure and frightened more so after the dastardly murder of their colleague Rahul Bhat, a clerk in revenue department in broad daylight and in the most crowded place of the Tehsil office of Chadoora in Budgam district where he was working with great dedication from the last about eight years. This despicable and brutal act has shattered the confidence of the package employees and they feel so much insecure that they are now reluctant to work in the prevailing conditions and circumstances in Kashmir valley and demand their adjustment outside valley in different departments including in the centre offices so that their life, limb and honour will remain safe and secure. This is not the first time that a package employee has been killed by the Islamist terrorists and some time back a teacher Deepak Chand has been killed in the school premises and at that time this barbaric incident shook the package employees and they demanded their security to perform the duties in valley. At that time the divisional administration assured fool proof security cover to the package employees but it turned out fake and hallow as recently another Package employee of the Pandit community was killed by the terrorists with sadistic pleasure and this brutal act shook the entire Pandit community in general and the package employees in particular and these unfortunate employees now demand their posting temporarily in Jammu division so that they are not subjected to targeted and selective killings. The BJP government of centre and the LG administration should wipe tears from their eyes and balm the hurt feelings and psychic of the package employees working across the Kashmir valley. The hapless and unfortunate package employees are becoming cannon fodders before the guns of the terrorists and they are becoming scapegoats and are giving supreme sacrifices of their precious and innocent lives. The powers should not make then the commodities of experimentation in the secular laboratory of the country and the powers that be specifically the BJP should desist from politicking on the issue of the Kashmiri Pandits and the atrocities of the package employees and it should frame sound policy regarding these employees and not allow them to face the bullets of the gun tottering marauders who are after the innocent lives of these employees. However, the employment package for KPs is the creation of UPA government of Dr Manmohan Singh and transit accommodations in valley are also the brainchild of UPA government. BJP has done nothing to ameliorate the fate of KPs. It has only used the community for its vote-bank politics. The best course is to adjust the package employees outside Kashmir for the time being so that after the conducive atmosphere in the valley they can be posted in Kashmir but till then they should be temporarily adjusted in Jammu division and the interests of the Jammu based employees will not be affected by the posting of these package employees as the salaries of these employees are debited to security related expenditure and hence there is no scope of them being drain on the UT exchequer and also these package employees will not subjugate the interests of the Jammu employees and so they should be temporarily allowed to perform their duties in Jammu so that their innocent and precious lives are saved otherwise they will continue to be killed by the terrorists. If BJP government is really interested in the welfare and safety of the Kashmiri Pandit community and the package employees they should order the temporary posting of these employees outside the valley so that these unfortunate employees are not exposed to the bullets of the terrorists who are on their prowl. The package employees have made it clear to the administration that they do not need civic amenities like power, water and accommodation but they need their evacuation to safer places outside Kashmir so that their life is safe and they are able to perform their duties efficiently. The government needs to completely normalise the conditions in valley and make the atmosphere conducive for their living and working in Kashmir so that it is possible for the Kashmiri Pandit package employees to work there without any fear and sense of insecurity. Thus it is only after creating the peaceful and normal environment in Kashmir that the Package employees should be called back to work in Kashmir and till then it is most appropriate to adjust these hapless employees in Jammu Division so that their life, limb and honour is saved. They do not like to be parasites on the society but like to work with dedication and contribute towards work and productivity with efficiency. Therefore the package employees should be allowed to survive and this is only possible if they are posted in the Jammu division for the time being as there is threat to their life and honour in Kashmir and they are the soft targets to the terrorists and any one of them can be killed by the terrorists. So for saving their life it is important to evacuate them to Jammu and post them in the Jammu division temporarily till the situation completely normalises in Kashmir. BJP government which has got over whelming majority in parliament should table and pass the Kashmiri Pandit Genocide bill so that the genocide of the Kashmiri Pandits and the package employees is stopped. The government also needs to pass the one time resettlement of seven lakh Kashmiri Pandits in parliament so that the Pandits can settle in Kashmir in safety and they will grow under full constitutional guarantees. When the Kashmiri Pandits will be settled in Kashmir in safety and dignity it will also be a normalcy paradigm and it is only then that the government should think of posting the package employees in Kashmir otherwise not. Thus it is after the one time settlement of 7 lakh Pandits in Kashmir that the powers should plan to adjust the package employees back in valley so that they are able to perform their duties without any fear and sense of insecurity. Thus the centre and UT government should make atmosphere conducive for the living and working of the PM package employees so that they are able to live and perform their duties in Kashmir without any fear and oppression .Presently the package employees are living and working in perpetual fear and oppression in Kashmir as there is threat to their life any time and so there is risk to their lives as they are working under threat of terrorists in Kashmir and so they need to be repatriated to Jammu division to perform their duties and in this lies the sagacity an d sanity. Therefore the government should post the package employees outside the valley for some time till the situation limps back to complete normalcy and it becomes conducive and feasible for the package employees to work in Kashmir. The package employees are contributing to the office work and efficiency and productivity with devotion and dedication and in return they are subjected to the bullets of the terrorists and this is the dilemma and is ridiculous .The agitating package employees do not like the lollipops and also the amenities like power, water, accommodation and other such things but they want their repatriation to Jammu division to save their lives. The package employees on strike will not budge an inch from their only demand of their survival and evacuation to Jammu division. The government should accede to their genuine demand of adjustment in Jammu division so that their lives are saved from the jaws of the terrorists who are after their lives. The package employees as others are working in the UT and thus there is no meaning and purpose of the bond which the migrant employees are asked to sign before their appointment. The bond which forbids the transfer of the migrant employees should be revoked retrospectively as it is unconstitutional and illegal and is the worst example of human rights violation and so the signing of the bond should be eliminated to give justice to the package employees. In short, the government needs to balm the hurt feelings and psychic of the package employees and for this they need to be adjusted in Jammu division for the time being to avert their senseless killings at the hands of the terrorists.
(The author is a columnist and social activist)