JAMMU: National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana today sought exclusive rights over the government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir for the permanent residents as per the law enacted by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1927, saying they should be granted the status of Class One Domicile in the new domicile law.
“The Centre should also restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir”, Rana reiterated in a statement issued from Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this morning, adding that though this was not the opportune time for politics in view of the outbreak of corona virus yet “we feel constrained to raise our concerns”.
Strongly pitching for the statehood, the Provincial President said the degradation of the state into Union Territory has had a psychological fall out on the people, the inheritors of largest state carved out by Maharaja Gulab Singh.
He stressed the need for course correction in the anomaly by restoring back the statehood and holding of immediate elections so that the people become masters of their own destiny, as enshrined in the democratic ethos of the country.
“Hold elections and let the people of Jammu and Kashmir take their own decisions like fellow citizens in rest of the country”, Rana added.
He expressed concern over the issuance of recent domicile laws and said this is not in consonance with the urges and aspirations of the people, especially the educated unemployed youth, who are in the state of despondency due to burgeoning unemployment problem. Instead of addressing to their concerns and undertaking fast track recruitment to the whopping number of vacancies, attempts are being made to generate unnecessary uncertainties, he said and cautioned against testing their patience, as they are genuinely feeling pushed to the wall.
He referred to the announcement of the former Governor last year with regard to filling up of over 50,000 vacancies in three months and said no forward movement has been registered thus far.
“This is a worrisome situation for all”, he said while urging the government to expedite the recruitment process in fair and transparent manner and also generate avenues of employment to address the problem.
He further said the Jammu and Kashmir youth have nowhere to go except the government sector in the absence of organized corporate sector and therefore a way out should be found to provide jobs, especially as most of the qualified youth are at the brink of getting over-aged.
The Provincial President sought a pragmatic job policy with stress on undertaking the process in a time bound manner.