Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 29: Girdhari Lal Raina has asked UT administration to assure security, release salary and making housing available for minority employees in Kashmir.
Talking to reporters here today BJP-JK secretary, Girdhari Lal Raina said time and again his party has demanded assured security and proper accommodation for all those employees belonging to religious minorities in Kashmir Valley.
These employees who come to serve in the Valley including employees recruited through non- PM package, SC category and from other parts of the country are finding it difficult to have secure accommodation in light of recent incidents of targeted killings, he said. “Winter months and the use of Pheran & extra clothing by every citizen enhance the potential threats as hybrid terrorist that are able to hide weapons easily,. Heightened security scare of employees is not ill founded. Similarly compulsory biometric attendance increases the risk to security of their precious life”, he added.
He said administration instead of addressing genuine concerns of these employees has taken to unreasonable, inflexible and insensitive approach. Even the security apparatus has resorted to intimidation and identifying them in public thereby making their life more insecure, he added.
Recalling construction of transit accommodation for employees recruited under the PM’s package was sanctioned in November 2015 by Narendra Modi led Government with instant allocation of required funds, but irritatingly slow progress on construction on ground displaying is total disregard for very concept of alleviating sufferings of the affected community, he said. Moreover other employees belonging to non- package, SC category are not even entitled to safe housing, he added.
Raina said comparatively safe and secure accommodation for employees belonging to the religious minority communities has always been stressed by policy makers, security establishment and keen observers of Kashmir. Recent spurt in targeted killing has further established urgency to address the issue.
Demand for release of salaries of these employees is also important as their families are in acute financial distress, unable to pay medical bills, school fee of their wards and even grocery bills in majority cases. It needs to be understood that even suspended employees are entitled to subsistence allowance. BJP hopes that UT administration will take a proactive stand involving protesting employees in a meaningful dialogue to resolve the impasse.
The other BJP leaders in the press conference were Prof Garu Ram Bhagat, president SC Morcha, Jai Dev Rajwal, senior party leader, KDD president, Chand Ji Bhat and senior functionary, Hira Lal Bhat.
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