*BJP welcomes Governor’s direction of single merit in State
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 13: Various political, social and youth organizations strongly criticized the JK Bank authorities for discriminatory criteria against Jammu region candidates in Probationary Officers’ exam and sought immediate intervention of Governor.
Leaders and activists of National Panthers Party held strong protest demonstrations at Jammu and Udhampur against the J&K Bank authorities and raised slogans against its Chairman and State Administration.
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Former minister and NPP chairman, Harshdev Singh, assisted by former MoS Yash Pal Kundal, was leading the protest in Jammu. Harshdev while addressing media persons on the occasion launched scathing attack on J&K Bank for its extremely biased approach in selection against Jammu region. He regretted that credibility of J&K Bank once again was mired in controversy soon it declared the merit lists on political, extraneous and discriminatory grounds. He wondered over the bizarre mechanism of selection adopted by the Bank in which the district wise lists of candidates have been prepared for filling of the posts of Probationary Officers, while the list for PO should have been issued on state level. He said 40 % cut off marks for Kashmir and 60 % for Jammu youth is mockery of the system. He demanded that Vigilance organisation should take urgent cognizance of the matter.
In Udhampur, former MLA and president NPP was leading the strong protest. The activist demanded immediate action from the Governor into the mater. They also demanded removal of Chairman of the Bank. He also demanded constitution of inquiry into the selections made in J&K Bank and PSC during last four years.
The activists of Dogra Front and Shiv Sena led by Ashok Gupta also held strong protest demonstration against the selections in J&K bank and sought urgent intervention of Governor. They said cut off marks have been manipulated by the Bank authorities to provide maximum advantage to the Kashmir based candidates. He said why 63 % criteria has been kept for Jammu district and 42 % for Srinagar. He said the time has come to change the recruitment system and head of this bank to set the system right.
The activists of BJYM also held protest demonstration at Press Club against the irregular and discriminatory behaviour of J&K Bank in recently declared result of POs. BJYM state president Vikas Choudhary was leading the protest. The youth also burnt the effigy of J&K Bank and demanded high level inquiry into the matter. They warned the State Administration to bring end to the discrimination against the youth from Jammu region.
Meanwhile, addressing joint press conference at BJP office here today BJP State spokesperson Ranbir Singh Pathania (former MLA), has expressed gratitude to the Governor, Satyapal Malik for taking prompt notice of the burning issue pertaining to selections of POs in J&K Bank. He said a deputation of aggrieved candidates from the region had called on Party State president, Ravinder Raina who had taken up the issue with the Governor.
Going by today’s tweet of Chairman JK Bank whereby cut off merit has been declared as 40 for the entire State, Pathania put full force behind the demand – as per the practice, precedent and legal position, selection against the post of PO in J&K Bank should be held on state-wise basis. He said that the post of J&K Bank PO is a (Scale-I) post and the final selections can be posted in any branch within or outside the state. And not only POs, selection against the post of Banking Associates should also be on state-wise basis, he added. BJP spokespersons Balbir Ram Rattan and Ashwani Chrungoo also accompanied.
While underlining the import of decision taken by JK Bank, IkkJutt Jammu today congratulated the people of Jammu for the determined manner in which they tore into the recruitment policy being pursued by the Kashmir controlled and biased Jammu & Kashmir Bank.
Chairman IkkJutt Jammu Ankur Sharma (Advocate) said that it was because of the pressure of the aggrieved and discriminated Jammu youth that the Governor had to intervene and force J&K Bank management to withdraw its invidious recruitment criteria for the post of Probationary officers.
“That J&K Bank will adopt 42.5 per cent cut off for Kashmir and 63% for Jammu was a classic example of apartheid against Jammu. It is a matter of shame that not one political party did anything meaningful to express solidarity with the protesting meritorious candidates from Jammu province, said Chairman IkkJutt Jammu.
Expressing serious concern over frequent controversies engulfing J&K Bank, Dr Shazad Malik former Vice Chancellor of Sai Nath University and renowned social activist urged Governor Satya Pal Malik to formulate a permanent and uniform recruitment policy for Jammu and Kashmir Bank so that after every recruitment advertisement notice or result notification, controversies that erupt and then aspirants resort to protest and demonstrations are avoided.
All J&K Youth Federation (AJKYF) lauded the decision of J&K Bank and direction issued by the Governor to declare a uniform cut off of 40 % across the state for PO aspirants in a meeting held here today at AJKYF headquarters.
Haroon Rashid, spokesperson AJKYF said that after number of representations and protests were made by the aspirants of Jammu Division, the administration has taken up the issue and had announced a uniform cut off for the state. He said discrimination with Jammu and Ladakh will not be tolerated.
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