It was a different day which dawned on July 13, for the families of terror victims of Baramullah district 40 of whom got appointment letters. Successive governments, be it that of the National Conference, the Congress or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), framed policies. On paper to provide succour to such families who had suffered in the hands of terrorists. However, the implementation of these policies was tardy and political affiliations often decided who got the jobs, if at all.
After the abrogation of Article 35-A and neutering Article 370 in August 2019, things started changing, and for the better. In August 2020, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha took charge, a year after the tumultuous events shook J&K. For almost five years later now, LG Sinha has ruled the Union Territory (UT) of J&K with an iron hand when dealing with separatists and those promoting secessionism. He is in charge of the General Administration Department (GAD) as also Home Department of the UT.
This gives him vast powers which he has not shied away from invoking to dismiss many government employees who were found involved in terrorism related activities. These powers inherent in the post he holds were under Article 311 of the Indian Constitution which became fully applicable to J&K in August 2019. Judicious use of these powers has led to dozens of dismissals and there is hardly a department in which some employees have not been dismissed summarily in this manner.
The powers inherent in him via GAD enable not only dismissals but also appointments, in relaxation of rules, and these he used to give appointments to families of terror victims. A few days ago, he had met terror victims in Anantnag district and tried to soothe their fraying nerves. It was the turn of families of terror victims of Baramullah to gain, after years and decades of neglect. He has repeatedly announced in public interactions that those fostering terrorism will be dealt with strictly.
“We are identifying those elements and removing them from Government jobs. We will rehabilitate the genuine victims of terrorism. There are certain elements who, at the behest of terrorist-country Pakistan, are still working to nourish the terror-ecosystem. Appropriate action as per the law will be taken against them and we will realise the dream of terrorism-free J&K,” he said on Sunday while interacting with commoners in Baramullah.
In a historic step to deliver justice to the terror victim families, LG Sinha handed over the appointment letters to Next of Kin (NoK) of terror victims at Baramulla. On June 29, he had met terror victim families in Anantnag assuring them that eligible NoKs will receive the jobs within just 30 days. He fulfilled his promise within 15 days and today handed over appointment letters to members of the 40 terror victim families. He has promised to continue the process till every terror victim family is rehabilitated.
The family members, whose loved ones were mercilessly killed by terrorists, narrated the horrifying incidents and exposed the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and their sympathisers. LG Sinha reiterated his commitment to ensure that the terror victim families will receive jobs, justice, recognition and support they deserved.
“Terror victim families, forsaken and forgotten, suffered silently for decades. Stories of their loved ones, brutally killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists are being brought to forefront.
Truth about these families was deliberately suppressed. No one came to wipe their tears. Everyone knew Pakistan-backed terrorists were involved in brutal killings but no one provided justice to thousands of elderly parents, wives, brothers or sisters,” he said.
LG Sinha issued a stern warning to those tried to gain by fostering an environment of conflict based on false, misleading narratives. He asked them to stop spreading narratives that harms the sovereignty and integrity of the country. By propagating the narrative of terror outfits in J&K, they are disrupting the peace established with blood and sweat, he said.
“For almost three decades, conflict entrepreneurs were ruling the roost and even threatened these families. These conflict entrepreneurs had cleverly crafted a singular narrative that painted India as the aggressor and terrorists as victims. This false narrative has been completely demolished. The real victims of terrorism have now exposed Pakistan and terror outfits and unmasked the conflict entrepreneurs,” he said.
LG Sinha assured the people that those days are over when the family members of dreaded terrorists used to get jobs and the killers of common Kashmiris got them. He was indirectly referring to government jobs given to sons of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) supremo Syed Salahuddin, to grandson of late Syed Ali Shah Geelani and wife of terrorist Bitta Karate.
