SRINAGAR: With Diwali two days away, about 5000 PM Package Kashmiri Pandit employees who have not resumed their duties in the Valley since the killing of a Pandit employee by militants on May 12 this year, have demanded that their withheld salaries be released so that they can celebrate Diwali with their families and relocation from militancy-hit Kashmir to Jammu.
“The salary for the month of September of most PM package employees has been withheld by the government. About 20-30 per cent of employees have not received salaries from the last four months,” Rubon Saproo, president of All Migrant Displaced Employees Association Kashmir (AMDEAK) told TNIE.
"We don’t have money to buy sweets and crackers for the festival," Saproo said and urged the government to release their pending salaries so that they can celebrate the festival of lights with their families.
About 5000 Pandit employees recruited under PM’s job package in J&K since 2010 have not been attending their duties in Valley since May 12, when Pandit employee Rahul Bhat was shot dead by militants inside the Tehsil office in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Most of the Pandit PM package employees have left Valley and are staying in Jammu. The striking employees stage a daily protest outside the office of the Relief Commissioner in Jammu.
Saproo asserted that their main demand is relocation to Jammu as they don’t feel safe in the Valley in view of continued targeted killings. He further said that the government should exempt them from biometric attendance.
The administration has made it mandatory to ensure the biometric attendance of all employees including those recruited under any package for drawing their salaries.
Ranjan Jotshi vice president (AMDEAK) said there will be no compromise on their main demand ie., relocation to Jammu.
“We cannot serve in the Valley in view of the continued targeted killings. The government should temporarily relocate us to outside Kashmir till the situation improves in the Valley,” he said adding, “There will be no compromise on our demand of relocation outside Kashmir”.
He said fear psychosis has gripped the community after the recent killing of a Pandit farmer and two migrant labourers by militants in Shopian.
Asked whether the government has held talks with them, Jotshi said, “No. But J&K BJP has formed a committee, which will also have members from the PM Package employees. They will facilitate our meeting with Lt Governor”.