PULWAMA: In a significant step towards strengthening grassroots engagement in Kashmir, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has opened its first office in Pulwama, marking a new chapter in its efforts to reach workers, employees and small traders in the region. BMS General Secretary Surendran Ji visited the area and interacted with flower sellers and small business owners, listening to their concerns and gaining a closer understanding of their livelihoods.
The initiative reflects the BMS’s commitment of connecting labour directly. Through engagement with workers and small entrepreneurs, the organisation seeks to understand ground-level challenges and strengthen its efforts towards dignity, fair treatment and the welfare of working people.
The opening of the divisional office in Pulwama marks an important step in the BMS’s efforts to expand its organisational presence in South Kashmir. The office is intended to serve as a point of contact for workers and employees seeking support for their concerns and workplace-related issues.
Pulwama was chosen for its central location in South Kashmir and the substantial number of labourers from the region. “The idea behind opening an office in Kashmir at this level is to ensure that employees and other workers get their due and are treated with dignity,” said Sameer Kuchay, BMS in-charge, Kashmir.
According to Kuchay, 20 trade unions representing around 30,000 employees in Kashmir are affiliated with the BMS. He emphasised that the organisation’s central objective is to protect the interests of labourers and employees, irrespective of their religious or political affiliations.
The interaction of BMS General Secretary Surendran Ji with flower sellers and small business owners in Pulwama highlighted the importance of direct engagement with people at the grassroots.
By meeting people engaged in such occupations, the BMS sought to connect with the realities of everyday working life.
Kuchay said that the BMS and other organisations associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had been active in Kashmir earlier as well, but the comparatively peaceful situation after 2019 had created greater opportunities.
“People have realised that children need to have books and pens in their hands, not stones,” he said, explaining why he believed opening an office in Pulwama had been difficult before 2019.
Recalling his experiences before 2019, Kuchay spoke about the challenges of publicly expressing his political and national commitments in the region. He said that when he hoisted the Indian flag in Pulwama before 2020 and uploaded a video of the event on
Facebook, he received only two positive comments among 1,384 comments.
“After 2020, things have changed. A process of peace and development has begun. It is a different scenario now. Every child goes to school and picks up the Tricolour with joy,” he said.
His account reflects the changes he has observed in the public atmosphere and the opportunities he believes have emerged for expanding organisational work in the region.
Kuchay maintained that the BMS’s activities are guided by the interests of workers and employees.
