No intention to stop anyone’s yatra: Sinha on Rahul
Backbone of terror broken, era of outside interference over
G20 meeting in Srinagar, UT requests for another in Jammu
New Land Laws in line with other parts of country
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 21: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today sent out a “loud and clear” message to all minority community employees including Kashmiri Pandits serving in the Valley that they will not get salary for sitting at home.
Asserting that all necessary measures have been taken for the safety of minority community employees, who are protesting for their transfer, Sinha told a press conference here this morning that they are on a strike and he was in constant touch with them and made sincere efforts to address their long-pending issues.
“We have cleared their (protesting employees’) salaries till August 31, but it cannot be done that they will be paid their salaries by sitting at their homes. This is a loud and clear message to them and they should listen and understand it,” he said.
Now, he added, there is only one genuine issue of concern which is of their accommodation.
Click here to watch video
“Earlier, there were some issues related to their land but they were cleared and tenders floated to complete the project for their accommodation at secured places. As many as 1,200 of them will be provided accommodation by April, and 1,800 more flats will be given during the next financial year,” Sinha said.
Asserting that their security is the priority of the administration, the Lieutenant Governor said the UT administration has full sympathy with them and is ready to provide them security or any other assistance.
Regarding reserved category employees who are also camping in Jammu and protesting here demanding their relocation, he said, “They should also keep in mind that they are Kashmir division employees and cannot be transferred to Jammu.”
However, he added, the Chief Secretary has framed a committee to look into their demand. He assured that that if there is any chance, they will frame a policy accordingly.
Kashmiri Pandit and Jammu-based reserved category employees left the Valley for Jammu in May following the targeted killings of their two colleagues — Rahul Bhat and Rajni Bala. The protesting employees have been seeking relocation outside Kashmir.
“Almost all of them were transferred to district headquarters in consultation with Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and other Government functionaries,” the Lt Governor said.
He, however, added that some of them are placed at tehsil headquarters, and others in villages close to the city as those posted in the Rural Development Department cannot be transferred to the city.
Maintaining that minority employees will not be deployed alone in any office and it was decided that two to three more people will be stationed along with them, Sinha said the Government has appointed officers in every district and one in Raj Bhavan to look after their grievances.
“The officers are listening to them and are looking for necessary steps to address their issues,” he said.
Sinha said all deserving employees have been promoted, fulfilling their long-pending demand.
“The list for promotion from non-Gazetted to Gazetted posts was forwarded to the Public Service Commission which informed that they were appointed in 2015, while they have already cleared the list of general category employees till 2014 and their list is in pipeline,” he said.
On Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s letter to Congress leader and Member Parliament Rahul Gandhi, requesting him to ensure COVID protocols during his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, Sinha said, “We have no intention of stopping anyone’s yatra.”
The yatra is scheduled to enter Jammu and Kashmir in January and will stay in the UT for eight days.
“Many things were stopped during COVID. A decision (to allow or disallow the yatra) will be taken depending on how the situation is next month,” Sinha said.
Maintaining that there was freedom for political and democratic activities in the Union Territory but not anti-nationalism, he said: “If any activity against the country is going to take place, it will be stopped.”
On investments in the UT, he said, “I can name 13 or 14 persons who have invested Rs 100 crore, Rs 200 crore and Rs 900 crore in J&K. When the Prime Minister visited here he laid the foundation of over Rs 38,000-crore investment at a groundbreaking ceremony.
“You be assured and I am saying with full responsibility that over Rs 70,000 crore investment will be made in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming years,” Sinha said.
Regarding planned G20 preparatory meeting in Srinagar, Sinha said it will be held in a secure and peaceful atmosphere as the backbone of terrorism has been broken and the era of outside interference, an apparent reference to Pakistan, is over.
He said the UT Government has requested the Central Government for another such event for Jammu but the permission is yet to be granted.
After the meeting, attended by senior officers, he said, “I am hopeful that the event will be held like in other parts of the country. We will not lag behind in the preparations and we all together will make an attempt to ensure that J&K is presented before the world in the best way.”
Sinha said his administration solicits maximum public participation and wants that “our institutions and students become part of it. The development which has taken place will be showcased.”
On the terror threat over G20 event, he said there is nothing to worry as “we have heard a lot about (threats) to the annual Amarnath yatra. But the yatra proved a success and witnessed its highest footfall.
“There is no need to have any concern on the security front. The backbone of those creating problems (militants) has already been broken. The meeting will take place in a secure and peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
He also downplayed the reported threat given by terror groups to disrupt any move to open two Agriculture Centres of Excellence by Israel in the twin capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu.
“Who will stay in J&K and who will not, which office will open or not is a decision which will be taken by the J&K administration and Central Government. The interference at the behest of someone else (Pakistan) is not going to happen anymore. Those days are gone,” he said.
Replying to a question about action against mainstream leaders allegedly involved with the terror ecosystem, the Lieutenant Governor said such things are not discussed openly.
However, he just said police officers and intelligence agencies are keeping a record of who is part of the terror ecosystem.
“Appropriate action will be taken against anyone who is part of the ecosystem, irrespective of his field or profession,’’ he added.
Supporting the Union Territory’s new land laws, he said some people were trying to mislead the public about the changes.
The new land laws are in line with those in other parts of the country, he said.
“The rule of law is in place in the country and the rule of law will be ensured in Jammu and Kashmir as well. A large number of changes were made in the land laws in Jammu and Kashmir to benefit the public as the older ones were regressive,” Sinha said.
Asked about the outrage in Kashmir over a Government directive to land leaseholders to return possession of properties, Sinha said the new laws would hardly affect 400 to 500 people. It will have no impact on the poor man, shopkeepers or families.
“It is true that a property worth over Rs 100 crore was taken on lease at Rs 5 under the previous laws. There is a Supreme Court ruling, which is now the law in the country.
“I will honour the Supreme Court and so the whole country and every citizen has to do the same,” he said, adding “We came out with the new law based on the Supreme Court ruling”.
Sinha also said, “Some people are trying to mislead the public (on the issue).”
His remark was an apparent reference to the opposition by almost all regional parties — the National Conference, People’s Democratic Party, People’s Conference and the Apni Party — that have termed the new law an attempt to settle outsiders in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.
Asked whether his administration planned to waive Kisan Credit Card loans because of losses suffered by farmers due to the inclement weather, he said the time for waivers had gone.
“Farmers’ incomes in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two years have increased manifold. Today, our farmers are placed third in the economy chart after Punjab and Haryana.
“Our farmers will have the highest income in the country in the next five years,” he said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
