Protesters demand transfer of Dogra, KP staff from Valley
Staffers had returned to Jammu following the targeted killing of their colleague Rajni Bala
JAMMU: Dogras and Kashmiri Pandits on Monday continued their protests demanding that employees from the two communities posted in Kashmir be relocated in the wake of the targeted killings of minorities in the Valley.
Dogra employees assembled under the banner of All Jammubased Reserved Categories Employees Association at Panama Chowk for the sixth consecutive day. The employees had returned to Jammu following the killing of teacher Rajni Bala. A resident of Samba district, Bala was shot dead by terrorists at a school in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on May 31.
Separately, a group of migrant Kashmiri Pandit activists affiliated with the Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust held a protest demonstration at the Press Club here in support of the PM package employees who have been on a strike in the Valley following the killing of their colleague Rahul Bhat on May 12. Bhat, a clerk, was shot dead inside the tehsildar’s office in Chadoora tehsil of Budgam district.
Chanting slogans and carrying placards, the protesters said the government should accede to the demands of the protesting PM package employees and temporarily transfer them to Jammu till the security situation in the Valley improves.
“The majority of the employees have already returned from Kashmir and are reluctant to go back in view of the grim situation. The government has transferred around 10% employees, who are relatives of BJP leaders to Jammu,” a protester claimed.
Kashmiri Pandit body raises security concerns
SRINAGAR: A Kashmiri Pandit association has raised concerns over the administration’s purported plan to seek the GPS location, home address and workplace information of their migrant staff.
Taking to Twitter, Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) said, “Administration asks #KashmiriPandits to share #GPS address of home and work place with them. Is this safe ?? Who will guarantee that this data will this not be misused or leaked to Terrorists ?? BTW, who is giving Administrartion such “Miraculous Ideas? (sic).”
However, officials said a decision on the same was yet to be taken.
“I do not think this decision has been given final shape. There are many steps, which the government is discussing for the safety of Pandits and other people in the wake of targeted attacks and killings,” a senior government officer said.
Bank unions seek transfer of non-local staff from Valley
After the killing of a bank manager in south Kashmir’s Kulgam village last week, the Joint Forum of Gramin Bank Unions has demanded transfer of all non-local bank staff from the Valley to avoid further blood shed. The Union, which is an apex body of six different bank unions submitted a representation to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, demanding shifting or relocation of nonlocal employees from the Valley and posting of armed guards at banks.