Asianet Newsable spoke to several activists and beneficiaries of PM Packages to understand the ongoing crisis in the Kashmir Valley.
Srinagar: The Kashmiri Pandits are once again forced to leave the Valley after a series of targeted killings are being carried out by the militants in parts of the Jammu & Kashmir.
Just a day, a State Bank of India employee from Rajasthan and a labourer from Bihar working at a brick kiln were gunned down without reason.
The Pandits in the Valley have been asking for relocation to safer places. Some also want to go out of the state to earn their livelihoods.
Asianet Newsable spoke to several activists and beneficiaries of PM Packages to understand the ongoing crisis in the Valley that has become a part of discussion across the country.
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A PM package beneficiary who doesn’t wish to be named said that the situation has deteriorated in the Kashmir valley in the last 2-3 days. “We don’t know what will happen next hour. There is an environment of fear all around. We don’t know whose number would be next.”
As per the media reports, 18 Kashmiri Pandits have been killed since the 2019 post abrogation of Article 370 and 35A.
A Kashmiri Pandit and political activist Muktesh Yogi told Asianet Newsable, “We don’t understand what is going on in the Valley. We are not sure would be able to talk to them or not. Our known ones who are staying there have been demanding to relocate them to a safer place.”
He also said that the compensation would not help bring back the dead people. “It is also not a solution. The situation is very tense the way Kashmiri pandits are migrating from there. They have no option. Kashmiri Pandits are known for carrying pens and not taking guns into their hands.”
“It’s an alarming situation in the Valley. The people who are on ground zero are facing such a critical situation. The militants are issuing open threat letters with photos,” he added.
He, however, believes that the normalcy would be back in the Valley.
“The Kashmiri Pandits don’t want to take law and order situation in their hands. We are fully dependent on the government and have faith that they will help us. We want the targeted killings should be stopped soon,” Muktesh Yogi said.
On being asked how the situation worsened, he said, “Militancy was in Kashmir, but we had no idea that they would begin ‘targeted killings.”
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Attacking the state administration and Centre, Reconciliation, Return and Rehabilitation of Migrants (RRRM), Chairman Satish Mahaldar said, “It’s very unfortunate that the people are experimenting the conflict situation since last 30 years, but they have no knowledge about the ground situation in Jammu & Kashmir.”
“The officers who are coming here for two years term they only see the month-end for salary credit and enjoyment. Political jargons are continuously taking place. Among the government officials, only one per cent are genuinely working while the other 99 per cent are enjoying only,” Satish Mahaldar said.
Commenting on the officials’ lackadaisical behaviour, he said, “Whenever any incident happens, no officers are willing to talk to you. In the Kashmir valley, the officers are having “bajwan” - a local dish and do shopping they have no problem, but it becomes problematic for the common man.”
“The police personnel, including SHOs and Munshis, never come on the spot in the uniforms. Why do they do like this? The J&K administration has virtually collapsed. It’s not functional and not working,” Satish Mahaldar added.
He also alleged that the government is discriminating the PM package beneficiaries.
“People who are under PM packages are being discriminated. For example, a Junior Engineer appointed under open merit has reached the level of deputy chief engineer while under PM package he is still at the same level,” he said.
“For getting a job under PM package, I will have to write a bond that it’s for two years and contrary to that another boy applying for the same job is getting Rs 40,000 salary. This is complete discrimination. For habitation, my washroom in Delhi has a size of 12*8 feet, whereas the rooms they are providing in Kashmir is 16*8 feet. Are we talking of a living condition of the people?” he added.
Amit Shah reviews the security situation
On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took stock of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of a series of targeted killings in the Valley.
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha were among those who attended the meeting.
The development comes in the wake of reported targeted killing in the Valley. In the last 72 hours, three targeted killings have been recorded.
