Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 22: All India Porters Union (AIPU) held a protest demonstration here, today demanding Government jobs to them as promised by the authorities when they were asked to join army and serve as porters during Kargil war in 1999.
The president of the Union, Romesh Kumar said that the youth from HP, Samba, Kathua and Pathankot were engaged as porters from 1999 to 2002 by Army and they served in Kargil war and in action 10 porters lost their lives.
He said the porters served in most difficult terrains shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces of the country. The Government gave financial aid and job to the next kin of martyrs family and it has promised job to other porters who served with the army in the war.
He said but the promise of providing a job to other porters was not fulfilled and since then they are waiting for the same despite the fact that authorities verbally assured the porters a Government job keeping in view their services to the nation in hour of need and they were given certificates also in recognition to their services.
Kumar said but till date these porters were neglected and the Government job remained a distant dream for them despite the fact that they are only bread earners of their families. Under prevailing circumstances now it is very difficult for these porters to make both ends meet, he added.
He said the surrendered militants were provided a government job, who were involved in anti national activities but the patriotic people who worked as porters to serve their mother land have been ignored which is a totally unfortunate.
He said those who waged a war against the nation were given preference and those who were ready to lay down their lives for nation were ignored.
He said the porters who are running form pillar to post for last 15 years for justice are now left with no option but to commit suicide as Government has ignored out plight completely.
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