FAHEEM ASLAM
Srinagar, Apr 28: In a major development, the Jammu and Kashmir government Thursday rescinded the orders pertaining to the controversial Dogra Certificate, a few days after New Delhi extended relaxation in recruitments, on the basis of height and chest, to all permanent residents of the state.
The development comes amid the Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani threatening the state government to revoke the orders by April 30 or face protests—something which is understood to have perturbed the coalition government in the wake of 2010 unrest in Kashmir.
Barely few hours after the state cabinet met in Jammu today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Revenue Department issued a fresh order pertaining to the concessions accorded to recruitment to Central Paramilitary Forces and Assam Rifles.
The Order No. Rev (LB) 101 of 2011 Dated 28-04-2011 (issued after today’s cabinet meeting) states that the state government orders bearing Nos. Rev (LB) 69 of 2011 dated 25.3.2011 and Rev (LB) 82 of 2011 dated 7.4.2011 stand superseded. Unlike the previous order, the ‘subject’ of the fresh order reads: “concessions accorded to recruitments in Central Paramilitary Forces and Assam Rifles.”

THE FIRST ORDER
As per the Government Order No: Rev (LB) 69 of 2011 issued on March 25, 2011, Revenue Department had accorded sanction to the issuance of Dogra Certificate in favour of “all such residents of Jammu division who are otherwise eligible for grant of Permanent Resident Certificate (Procedure) Act and the rules made there-under.”
“The concerned Tehsildar (Territorial) shall be competent to issue such certificate to the eligible desirous persons irrespective of his/her ethnicity, religion, cultural background and mother-tongue,” the order had said.

THE SECOND ORDER
In the wake of controversy over the issue, the state government ‘amplified’ the previous order on April 7. “In amplification of the Government Order No: Rev (LB) 69 of 2011 Dated 25-03-2011, it is hereby clarified that the said certificate shall be issued to the candidates who are desirous of seeking employment and otherwise eligible for such employment in central paramilitary forces, wherever relaxation in height and chest measurements is permissible under the recruitment rules and (wherever) such a certificate is pre-requisite,” read the ‘amplified’ order No. Rev (LB) 82 of 2011 Dated: 7-04-2011. “It is also clarified that the above certificate issued by concerned Tehsildar (Territorial) shall specifically state the purpose ‘valid only for employment in central paramilitary forces’ and the following paragraphs shall form an integral part of such a certificate,” the order read.
The paragraph read: “This certificate is being issued to the candidate for the purpose of seeking employment in central paramilitary forces, wherever relaxation in height and chest measurement is permissible and where such a certificate is a pre-requisite. This certificate shall not be valid for any other purpose other than above notified recruitment purposes, and shall not form the basis of seeking any other benefit whatsoever.”

THE MHA AMENDMENT
Recently New Delhi had stepped in to resolve the controversy over the issue. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs had proposed to amend the orders wherein relaxation on the basis of height and chest has been given in the recruitment in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). “Central Armed Police Forces such as CRPF, BSF etc recruit all over the country. The level of recruitment has been stepped up in the last two years and is likely to continue at this level for a few more years. In 2009, CAPFs recruited 1109 constables in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2010, 2309 constables were recruited in the state,” read the MHA amendment.
It adds: “There are extant orders issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India providing for relaxation in height and chest in the case of certain states/regions as well as certain communities. So far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the eligibility conditions have been relaxed for Kashmir region and Leh and Ladakh regions,” the Home Ministry mentioned. “Government desires to recruit more persons to the CAPFs from Jammu and Kashmir. Hence, there is a case for relaxing the eligibility conditions for all sections of the people in Jammu and Kashmir including the Jammu region. Henceforth the said relaxation will be available to all the Permanent Residents of Jammu and Kashmir,” it said.

CABINET DISCUSSION
Sources said the state cabinet today discussed the Dogra Certificate issue again and decided to rescind the earlier orders, which had drawn flak from political circles in Jammu and Kashmir.
Apart from Hurriyat, some National Conference leaders and legal experts in Kashmir had reacted sharply to the orders, describing them as an attempt to divide the state on ethnic lines. Of late, the PDP had also criticized the Dogra Certificate, asking the state government to revoke it.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST