Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 3: Though nation celebrated 26th Vijay Diwas in honour of 1999 Kargil war bravehearts recently on July 26, over 225 porters who were engaged by the Army in May 1999 to assist the armed forces in carrying arms and ammunition on the high peaks during the war are still running from pillar to post for justice as the commitment made with them regarding their engagement on regular basis in Army has not been fulfilled till date.
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According to sources, 500 porters drawn from different parts of Jammu region were recruited at Tanda Akhnoor to assist the Indian Army during Kargiil war in Batalik Sector, Tiger Hills, Drass, Tololing, Trishul Ghati etc. At the time of their engagement as porters, they were promised to be recruited on regular basis in Army as they will be given preference in the any recruitment drive in the Army held in J&K, sources added.
Out of 500 porters, seven attained martyrdom during the war and their next kin were provided job by the Army. However the remaining porters were not engaged. Launching a struggle to get justice and after taking the issue with higher ups in Government and knocking the doors of court of law over 225 porters were engaged in three recruitment drives one held at Tanda Akhnoor in Jammu district and two in Udhampur district while over 200 others were left. However, despite getting repeated assurances from higher ups in the Government and the Army these 200 porters are still struggling to get justice, sources said.
Kewal Sharma, a porter from village Mangtian, Kathua district, who is working as a hawker to earn his livelihood said “While engaging us as porters in May 1999 we were assured and promised that whenever Army recruitment will be held in Jammu and Kashmir first preference will be given to you. However, for the ill fated over 200 porters this promise was not kept and they are still running from one office to another seeking justice”, he added.
“We are called during the Vijay Diwas celebrations every year for participation. Even this year too letters were sent to us to attend the function and most of porters attended these functions with pride. We feel pleased to have worked shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces against enemy on higher peaks of Kargil to force enemy forces to beat a hasty retreat. But the promise made with us has not been fulfilled till date,” he added.
Kewal, who has to support a family of six including his old aged mother, wife and three children said, “We were issued certificates after the war by Army as a proof of our commendable job and told on the basis of these certificates you will be recruited in the Army whenever the recruitment takes place in J&K. But for we ill fated people that day has not come in last 26 years and all our hopes have been belied,” he added.
Yashpaul Singh, another porter from Sarmoli, Udhampur said that they sent written applications to President of India, Prime Minister, Defence Minister for justice and the case was forwarded to Army Headquarters for settlement. The Army Headquarters forwarded the case to Northern Command Udhampur and it was recommended either a job or lump sum of Rs 30 lakh be paid to each porter. The letter further said that such a mechanism be created so that each porter gets a monthly pension of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 to feed his family in case a job is not given.
He said among the remaining over 200 porters 50 youth have become disabled after receiving splinters and bullet injuries during Kargil war and they held protests many times but nobody in the Government paid a heed to them.
Singh asked when the Government is going to rehabilitate the terrorism victims by providing jobs to them why they are not being considered for a Government job?.
Kuldeep Raj, another hapless porter from village Manoh in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu district said”, for last 26 years we got nothing except false assurances from higher ups in the Government. I was of 21 years of age when I was engaged as porter in Kargil during the month of May 1999 and later honoured with a certificate by Army also with the promise that in next recruitment drive to be held in J&K porters will be given preference. But this all proved hollow as since then we are on roads for justice”.
He said 500 porters worked shoulder to shoulder with Army during this war by shifting arms and ammunition and other material to high peaks and every porter was ascending 10 to 20 kilometres a hill to shift the luggage. Some people lost their lives in Pak shelling while scores were injured. “We deserved to be given preference in recruitment in Army or to be appointed in MES etc but it is not known why we were ignored”, he added.
Kuldeep said he attended the Vijay Diwas celebrations at Tanda Akhnoor this year while 15 other porters participated in the function at Kargil. “The officers of Army present in the function again assured us that they will call us soon to settle the case once and for all and we hope that they will keep the promise this time,” he added.
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