Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 20: Hundreds of Army porters, who were left “unemployed” after Kargil war, today threatened of committing suicide and appealed the Centre and State Governments to absorb them as they were at the verge of starvation.
“We were recruited in Pathankot, Udhampur, Akhnoor and Poonch area of Punjab and J&K besides in Kandrori at Himachal Pradesh as Army Civilian Porters after passing medical test and other formalities of the concerned authorities groups APO during Kargil War (Operation Vijay) in the year 1999-2002,” unemployed porters said during a protest here near Press Club.
The agitators said that they served in most difficult terrain in Kargil Area along with regular army troops but got disengaged and ordered to return to their respective native places after the war was over.
“We are left with no option other than committing suicide because successive Governments have failed to address our long pending demand of permanent engagement in the respective Government Departments,” they said, adding, they expect strict and prompt action from the most powerful personality of the Country, that is, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The authorities verbally gave assurance and handed a certificate to every individual assuring preference in recruitment in Government job keeping in view of our service to the nation in the hour of need,’’ they said and added that they felt proud to be a part of the war winning troops but on the other hand left neglected despite being the only bread earner of families.
They alleged that the Government has framed rehabilitation and employment policy of the surrendered militants who are involved in criminal and anti-national activities, policies for martyred porters in Operation Vijay and Kargil war 1999-2002, but unfortunately, they are still waiting to get absorbed in the different departments as assured by the then commanding authorities.
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