Several detained for violating prohibitory orders
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 8: As a large number of job aspirants today held strong demonstrations at both the capital cities to protest against hiring of a previously black-listed company by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) for conducting written examinations, Police used force and detained several protesters at Jammu.
Police swung into action and detained several protesters when a large number of agitating JKSSB aspirants assembled at Dogra Chowk and tried to take out a march in violation of prohibitory orders.
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For dispersing the protesters, Police also used mild lathicharge though there were no reports of injury to anyone. The detained protesters were also released later on.
Carrying placards and tricolor flags, the protesters were raising slogans against the JKSSB for hiring APTECH Limited, the company which had been blacklisted in 2019, for conduct of computer-based tests.
“They are conducting an examination and then cancelling it…how many times we have to appear for the same exam time and again,” said Vinkal Sharma and added that hiring a blacklisted company for conducting the test was guarantee of some fraud again.
Pertinent to mention in last year, Government had cancelled the selected list of 1,200 Police Sub-Inspectors, 1300 Junior Engineers and 1,000 Finance Account Assistants (FAA) following allegations of paper leak and malpractices.
“APTECH was blacklisted in the past and there is no guarantee it will not do any wrongdoing in future. What forced the LG administration to engage such a black-listed company?” asked Atul Sudan and Kartik Bhagat. They alleged that the government has failed to ensure fair recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad along with leaders of other political parties have condemned the use of force against the job aspirants. “These youngsters were exercising their democratic right to protest against the recent decision to engage a blacklisted firm,” said Omar Abdullah. Ghulam Nabi Azad tweeted: “It is disheartening to hear about the use of violence against #JKSSB aspirants in J and K who were peacefully protesting for their future. I strongly condemn such actions and urge the Government to intervene to protect the rights of students without fear of harm!”
Congress spokesperson Jahanzaib Sirwal, DAP chief spokesperson Salman Nizami and Apni Party Youth Wing state vice president Raqeeq Ahmed Khan also condemned the use of “brute force” against the peaceful protesters.
Condemning the police action, ABVP State secretary, Akshi Billowria alleged that LG administration and JKSSB were not serious about the future of the youth. When the applicant sought help from the High Court, which ordered a judicial inquiry into the selection process of a blacklisted company, the very next day JKSSB challenged that ruling and allowed a blacklisted company to conduct the exam,” she said and demanded a magisterial inquiry against the cops involved in lathicharge.
However, a spokesperson of JKSSB claimed that the company (APTECH Ltd) was hired as per the Government guidelines and it had already completed the blacklisting period of three years in May last year.
Reports from Kashmir said that a similar protest was held at Srinagar by the JKSSB aspirants, who urged the LG-led Administration to ensure that the private players are thrown out of the recruitment process.
Scores of aspirants, who have already appeared in several JKSSB examinations, or are set to appear in new exams, assembled in the press enclave and were seen holding placards and raising slogans in favour of their demand, seeking the immediate termination of the contraction given to private company ‘APTECH’.
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