People's Democracy

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Army Intervention in Politics would Harm Democracy

On September 29, 2013, the CPI(M)’s Jammu & Kashmir state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, PDF president Hakim Mohammad Yaseen, former MP and chairman JKNDF Abdul Rashid Kabuli and LJP(Y) national president Sanjay Saraf issued the following statement from Srinagar.

WE are astonished and express our serious concern on the delay in ordering a thorough probe into the controversy over the alleged misuse of defence funds. We are of the opinion that the import of these revelations, which have undermined the whole democratic process, has far more serious implications for Jammu and Kashmir than meets the eye.

We think the controversial remarks made by the former army chief General V K Singh have further created chaos and confusion, and that a thorough investigation by a credible commission headed by a Supreme Court judge is the need of the hour to clear the air.

The functioning of the TSD (Technical Support Division) and such other units, which have been questioned, has made a dent into the accountability and fairness of the entire institution, which we believe is fraught with dangerous consequences.

The expose has pointed out to an institutional decay loaded with serious ramifications for survival of democracy, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir where huge sacrifices have been made by the people to strengthen this process.

In our opinion, any overt or covert intervention from the security apparatus in political domain is harmful and does not augur well for democracy. It is advisable that all the security agencies must confine themselves to their defined mandate.

It is not surprising that the remarks made by Retired General V K Singh have acted as music to the ears for a section that is known to be inimical to the democratic process. We firmly believe that it is finally through the democratic process itself that the will of people would prevail, and any speculations before going through the facts would only damage the broader interests of the people. The entire political spectrum in the state must desist from mudslinging and, instead, go in for introspection.

We believe that any cover-ups in whatever forms, finding damage control measures or complacency over the matter or unwillingness to go for a thorough probe, are bound to take us on to the perilous road where the entire democratic process will lose its credibility.

‘ASSEMBLY MUST DISCUSS

DAY TO DAY KILLINGS’

ON September 30, 2013, the CPI(M)’s Jammu & Kashmir state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, MLA demanded an exclusively debate in the legislative assembly of the state over the incidents of day to day killings, ruthlessly going on in various parts of the state. He further added that ordering inquiries only has become meaningless now. He said the people have lost their trust and confidence in the whole system, including the administration and the legislature, and are making fun of the routine of announcing an enquiry after every killing incident. Tarigami also said the people of the state are feeling themselves helpless, adding that if the prevailing tendency of helplessness and erosion of trust among the people is not addressed appropriately, it would take a heavy toll and cause irreparable damage to the democratic values in the state.

Participating in the obituary reference on the demise of a former MP, D C Prashant, and a former MLC, D K Kotwal in the J&K legislative assembly on the day, Tarigami said that the incidents of killings and bloodshed that have taken place in various parts of the state since 2010, and the meaningless inquiries into them, have created a perception among the people that they are being deceived and fed upon lies, which has dented the prestige of the democratic setup and lowered the integrity of the state legislature. He said democracy demands that we should conduct introspection of our own conduct and be accountable before the people for our responsibilities and deeds.

WHITE PAPER SOUGHT

ON KILLINGS SINCE 1990

ON October 1, 2013, CPI(M) state secretary and Kulgam MLA, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, demanded a white paper on the killings in the state right since 1990.

Participating in the discussion on adjournment motion on the killings of innocent people in Gool, Shopian, Kishtwar and other places, and also on the recent militant attacks in Samba and Kathua, resulting in several deaths, Tarigami said that it was the fundamental duty of the government to safeguard the life and property of the people. He said unchecked bloodshed has made the life of people miserable and they have lost faith on the democratic institutions and justice delivery system. “People have lost sense of security which needs to be restored by making government machinery accountable,” he added.

The CPI(M) leader said the root cause of the bloodshed in the state lies in the prevailing political uncertainty, and if the government failed to make the whole system accountable, it would have serious repercussion. He said if only the government had cracked on the elements responsible for the killings that occurred in 2010, people would not have considered themselves expendable. He also urged the need to make the security forces accountable.

‘DON’T RUIN CAREERS

OF UNEMPLOYED YOUTH’

EXPRESSING serious concern over the tardy recruitment drive of the Jammu & Kashmir government, CPI(M) state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said on October 8 that the government should explain how fast its fast-track basis recruitment process is.

Referring to a written reply to one of his starred questions on the subject, Tarigami said that in the last two years a total of 30,562 out of 71,605 vacancies in various departments were referred to the recruiting agencies.  “What is more ironical is that out of these 30,562 vacancies referred to recruitment agencies, the government made only 663 selections for gazetted posts, 7998 selections were made for non-gazetted posts and 1404 selections for Class IV posts. Is this the fast track basis recruitment?” Tarigami asked.

The CPI(M) MLA also asked for department wise lists of the gazetted, non-gazetted and Class IV vacancies in government department and public sector undertakings (PSUs) up to August 2013. “There are 71,605 vacancies in various departments and PSUs. Out of this, there 9,318 gazetted posts, 43,415 non-gazetted and 18,872 Class IV posts. Up to September end this year, 3,737 posts were referred to the Public Service Commission (PSC), 18,110 posts to the SSB and 8,715 to District Recruitment Boards (DRBs),” read the government’s reply.

According to the information supplied, the PSC advertised 2,764 posts but only 663 selections were made by it. The SSB advertised 15,209 posts but made selections of 7,998 candidates only. The DRBs advertised 5,185 posts but selected only 1,404 candidates for Class IV posts.

Tarigami also asked for the status of the proposed filling of about 70,000 identified vacancies as assured by the minister for finance during the current budget session that took place in Jammu. In its reply, the government said “the process of filling up of over 70,000 vacancies has been set into motion on fast track basis and the recruitment process is under way for selection of the vacancies in various cadres, viz gazetted, non-gazetted and Class IV. The referral, advertisement, short-listing interviews for these vacancies is presently going on and the process is being followed vigorously.”

Replying to the other part of the question, i.e. about the reasons for delay in filling up the 43,000 identified vacancies of casual labourers and daily rated workers in various departments in the state despite repeated assurances in the respect during the last three years, the government said: “The government has approved the engagement of 43,000 causal, seasonal labourers in seven departments vide government order number 105-PD of 2010 dated 25-10-2010. However, no engagements in this regard have been made so far as the required operational modalities for these engagements are yet to be finalized by the concerned departments.”

Taking strong exception to this inordinate delay, the CPI(M) MLA said on the one hand the rate of unemployed youth is increasing day by day and on the other hand the government’s lax attitude is brewing a perception among people that recruitment drive has been deferred to meet the partisan political interests in view of the coming assembly elections.

“The government must expedite the whole process of recruitment so that the unemployed youth get benefited. Authorities must also clear the doubts in the minds of people that this delaying tactics adopted in recruitment is to benefit the blue-eyed boys in return for electoral favours. This is a dangerous tendency which should be addressed in the larger interest of an army of unemployed youth of the state,” the CPI(M) leader added.