National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana today described Jammu andKashmir domicile law as unjust and betrayal with educated unemployed youth ,saying this should be withdrawn forthwith to pave the way for widespreadconsultations with all the stakeholders to evolve a robust safeguard mechanismin the larger interests of the bonafide locals.
“All political parties should rise above politics andcommit themselves to the just cause of our youth and speak against the law inone voice”, Rana said in a statement. He said the law in its present form is disastrous for the youth ofJ&K in general and those in Jammu in particular, who may have to face themain brunt with jobs going to outsiders.
“Our youth are second to none and have proven theirworth in various national level competitive exams but when it comes to jobs, itshould be understood that those coming from far-off areas or belonging to weakersections, scheduled castes and tribes, the level play field is not the same aselsewhere in the country due to poor infrastructure and education system”,the NC Provincial President said, asking if a special provision could beenvisaged in various states like Himachal Pradesh and North East with regard toexclusive rights of local youth over all category of jobs why the same is beingdenied to J&K youth. The avoidable deprivation could lead to alienation ofyouth, irrespective of region, religion or caste,
He cautioned, saying the bonafide residents are feelingterribly let down and betrayed beyond imagination. Rana also referred to the timing ofannouncement of the new law and said the people, grappling with the pandemic ofcorona virus like other parts of the country and the world, are shell shockedand dumb struck over the “insensitive, illogical and irresponsible move,which has bellied all their hopes”, especially in the backdrop ofassurances held out and promises made by central leaders from time to time inrecent months.
” What could be more irony than that those looking forspecial dispensation to overcome the burgeoning unemployment problem in Jammuand Kashmir are finding themselves pushed to the wall and nowhere to go, hesaid and urged the Centre to revisit the law in deference of the overwhelmingwishes of the people,” Rana said. He questioned the rationale behindopening the jobs for outsiders when the local youth were struggling for sustenance in the wake ofmeager job avenues available here in the absence of organised corporate sectorand big business houses.
“The new law will snatch their only hope with outsidersusurping the already scarce jobs at the cost of their survival,” he said,adding that the youth of Jammu will be worst sufferers.
The NC Provincial President said the people across Jammu areparticularly worried with this measure, wondering as to whether they deservedall this, after having been stripped off the status of state, a proud legacybequeathed by Maharaja Gulab Singh to the posterity.