People's Democracy

DYFK’s Appeal To The Youth

The Democratic Youth Federation of Kashmir has issued the following appeal to the youth of the state.

THE dreams of our youth lie shattered today. Each passing day brings new frustrations for them. At every step they encounter insensitivity and lack of sympathy. Not a trace of light is in sight at the end of a long dark tunnel.

Kashmiri youth, for the last 13 years, have gone through fear and fire. They bore the brunt of bullets and bombs. Countless in their prime, today, lie buried, leaving behind a host of lamenting parents. Their studies got disrupted and careers suddenly cut short. The wind that blew across, forced many to find refuge in unknown lands, depriving them of the warmth of their homes. Many among them are languishing in jails. Labels like militants, renegades, Ikhwanis, the outlaws and what not, have conveniently been foisted on this much-maligned segment of our society.

This, in brief, is the heart-rending story of our younger generation today. Yet there is none at the helm, who loses his sleep for their agony.

The march of time stops for none. Human needs and requirements cannot wait. No society can afford to wink at equipping the youth with education, livelihood, health and opportunities to grow in order to face the challenges of the times. Can Kashmir survive if our youth are allowed to dissipate their energies? Yet none seems to be bothered about it. This is apparent from the fact that 2 lakh youth in this small state are without jobs, even after obtaining degrees and certificates from our educational institutions. Needless to say, this amounts to a colossal waste of Human talent and youthful energy. The state and the central governments have miserably failed even to fathom the intensity of the problem, not to speak of charting out any roadmap to provide relief to this youthful section of our society, bubbling with promise and passion, but in distress, today.

Unfortunately, our rulers have paid only lip-service to the cause of the youth, which is evident form the fact that even after 55 years no industrial base worth the name has been set up in our state. On the contrary, the high potential of our indigenous industries, the world famous handicrafts and tourism industry, have been allowed to decay, rendering thousands as jobless. A disproportionately meager number of government jobs is all that remains for the absorption of our distraught youth. But here too our rulers are playing dirty games. Rampant corruption, undue political interference, nepotism and an unabashed sale of government jobs has cast its dark shadows even over this lone source of recruitment, by denying the youth their constitutional and legal rights of equality of opportunity in the recruitment of public jobs, our youth are pushed to desperation, leaving no constructive channels open to them. This is substantiated by the following facts:

(1) 125 appointments to both gazetted and non-gazetted posts have been made in relaxation (read: violation) of rules; even simple graduates with inferior merit have been appointed on gazetted posts to the ranks of assistant directors, trade officers, etc. These appointments are invariably in favour of highly influential people.

(2) 10,799 daily rated workers who have performed their duties over seven years have not been so far regularised though, as per the rules, they should have been regularised long before. The government discharged 1,328 such workers in 2001 on the plea that they have been recruited after 1994.

(3) Code requirements have been violated by the government while making appointments to class-IV and some non-gazetted posts.

(4) The highly qualified candidates appointed as teachers under RT scheme are being paid the meager consolidated pay of Rs 1500 per month while the persons having lesser qualifications are being paid higher salaries.

(5) 3,303 cases regarding compassionate appointments from militancy-affected families have not so far been decided.

Even the self-employment schemes announced by the government are tainted with favoritism and corruption. This only leads to further alienation. There is negligible presence of our youth, especially from the Kashmiri Muslim community, in central government offices and public sector undertakings. No positive steps have been taken to reverse this trend.

Our rulers can no longer shut their eyes to the realities. The brewing storm can no longer be ignored. If urgent measures, both long- and short-term, are not taken, it can lead to an explosion beyond control. The restive youth can no longer wait, nor can our society afford to leave the issue unresolved.

In our considered view, the following measures are required forthwith:

a) Adequate reservations for a certain period in favour of eligible youth from the state in recruitment to jobs in CGOs, PSUs and private sector undertakings;

b) Generous grants by the centre for revival of indigenous industries in the state, where our youth can find gainful employment.

c) Streamlining of the recruitment process in state government jobs and making it transparent and accountable, besides removing favouritism and corruption in the implementation of self-employment schemes.

d) Payment, with central assistance, of a compensatory allowance to the educated unemployed youth of the state till they are gainfully employed.

e) Present method of on-the-spot police recruitment on short notices and in a haphazard manner is causing grave injustice to the deserving candidates. This practice must stop forthwith and the method of recruitment must be streamlined by making it transparent and systematic.

f) A large number of SPOs are working on a petty remuneration of a mere Rs 1500 a month. Services are insecure and can be cut short on the whims of officers. The principle of equal pay for equal work must be applied to them and their services regularised. The same applies to RT scheme also.

g) Thousands of daily wagers have been working in various government departments. The policy of hire and fire has made their life miserable. Their services must be regularised by the government.

h) The government must provide equality of job opportunities for those who have given up the gun and want to live in peace. Such youth must not be thrown out of job merely because of their militant past.

We wish to make it clear that our experience shows that much reliance cannot be placed on the rulers who have brought the situation to the present chaos. The time for petitions is gone. The youth have to assert and fight for their rights. They have to utilise every opportunity to take the initiative in their own hands. They will have to fight their own battle. We assure them our unflinching support and sacrifice.