Dear Editor,
The current situation in Kashmir is neither feasible nor conducive for the Kashmiri Pandits who are selected under the special job package. The PM Package employees went on streets and are protesting for justice in the Kashmir valley from the last 14 days after the terrorists shot dead an employee Rahul Bhat in a broad day light and that too in the office premises. He was working as a clerk under PM Employment Package in the Tehsil Office Chadoora, Budgam. The unfortunate and brutal killing of Rahul Bhat by the terrorists has sent shock waves across the entire J&K UT. Thus, the ethnic cleansing and genocide remains unabated. It is to be seen that the minorities are being targeted in Kashmir by these brute forces and thus now all PM package employees are feeling insecure, unsafe and total distraught. The PM package employees are being held as hostage by the policy makers to the regressive communal forces. The agitating PM package employees are requesting the government to relocate them outside the Kashmir valley which is the only viable solution at this juncture. However, the government’s tall claims of normalcy in Kashmir has fallen flat as the terrorists are selectively killing the minorities and other innocent people in Kashmir & thus fear psychosis has enveloped all Package employees. The PM package employees in particular are more vulnerable and thus cannot serve in Kashmir under the fear of gun. Even the IGP Kashmir has said that KPs have become now soft targets of these inimical forces. However, the PM package employees working in different departments across the valley are feeling much worried, tense, insecured, frustrated and dismayed. It is true that the government has assured them of providing security but at the same time it is not feasible on ground zero to provide security to all Package employees every time and everywhere. In Kashmir, these Package employees are living like caged pigeons from the last 10 years and there is total insecurity outside the transit accommodations. So if the government is really serious about safeguarding the interests of KPs then the centre government must immediately pass KP genocide bill in the parliament and also one time settlement plan for the whole KP community must also be put in place. The PM package employees can only serve in Kashmir when the whole KP community is resettled back in valley with full dignity and honour. Till then the government must relocate all the PM package employees outside Kashmir valley in order to stop any further bloodshed due to targeted killings.
Vivek Koul,
Jammu.
