A complete shutdown was today observed in Kupwara district to protest the alleged discrimination in government's recruitment policy.
A complete shutdown was today observed in Kupwara district of north Kashmir to protest the alleged discrimination in government's recruitment policy.
Government offices, business establishments, educational institutions and banks remained closed in the district in response to the call for a strike given by a committee spearheading an agitation against the inter-district recruitment policy of the government, officials said.
The present policy allows candidates to apply for district and divisional cadres posts irrespective of whether they belong to that particular district.
The coordination committee comprising legislators of all parties, intellectuals, traders, lawyers and transporters of the district are demanding scraping of the policy.
The committee has cited instances of schools in the district running without teachers as those appointed from outside have fled the district after getting the job.
Legislators of ruling National Conference and opposition PDP have termed the recruitment policy as sheer discrimination against the unemployed youth.
"How can the unemployed youth of Kalaroos, Karnah and Lolab compete with the youth of other districts who enjoy regular coaching at tuition centres and study in prestigious institutes," they asked.
Cutting across party lines, all the five legislators from Kupwara disrupted assembly proceedings on August 28 seeking scrapping of the policy and even threatened self immolation if their demand was not met.
PDP MLA from Lolab, Abdul Haq Khan said due to this "discriminatory policy" government jobs were being denied to unemployed youth of the backward and neglected district.
Independent member supporting the coalition government Sheikh Abdul Rashid said, "Not only our district but whole of Kashmir valley has been affected by this lopsided process which is part of demographic war against Kashmir. We will not find any Kashmiri in the secretariat and other government institutions if this policy continues".
"Only 4 to 5 per cent educated youth from our district get appointed on district cadre posts while 95 per cent are outsiders", Mir Saifullah of ruling National Conference said, adding his party would support the bandh call.
The government admitted in the last assembly session that the policy has caused resentment among locals in almost all districts.
Finance minister AR Rather had told the assembly that government has introduced a bill during the last session to restrict the selection process for various divisional and district cadre posts for the residents of the concerned districts and divisions.
The bill was handed over to a selection committee which submitted its report in August session but government deferred re-introduction of the bill, despite assurances from the opposition PDP of its full support for its passage.
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