The spring in Kashmir has arrived and the hustle bustle yet again kicks start. The spring is a hope for all those millions of people in Jammu and Kashmir who pass off chilly winters despite acute shortage of electricity and other basic facilities in these tough months.
But there are thousands of people in the same region who are fighting day and night for their bright future but still see no hope in the near end. Almost now on a routine basis there are massive protests across Jammu and Kashmir against various government policies by people.
Among the protesting lots, the casual dailywagers of PHE, PDD and some other departments are on top of the list. They have given the prime youth of their life to serve the government and have received peanuts. The successive government who engaged them as per the requirements in the system had promised them regularization once they completed the tenure successfully. But that never happened.
They waited for the day and are still waiting. Post August 5, 2019 when the state was downgraded to Union Territory followed by stripping of constitutional privileges the hope of these people yet again saw a new dawn. They believed with the massive constitutional changes and reforms in the governing system, they will get their services regularized. Yet again, the government failed to live upto the expectations of these youths.
Every day now they protest in Srinagar and Jammu. The government is tight lipped and doesn’t come up clean on the issue. It is unjustified and unrealistic to keep such matters lingering on. The administration has a role to play and think about these thousands of youths who have to feed their families. As part of its drive, the government has recently terminated the services of dozens of employees for being dead wood or antinational.
It justified the move and said competent people shall only be provided jobs who can serve the people. But it seems oblivious to the fact that so many people in the PDD have lost their lives while discharging their duties. In fact most of them who were dailywagers have been disowned by the department and their families have been living miserable lives. Government can’t sit on the issue of these people.
It has to come open and speak compassionately for these daily rated employees and secure their future. They have nowhere to go now and it is the responsibility of the government to protect the social and economic interests of all those families who have been depending on these casual labourers.
