The horrific loss of innocent lives in Pahalgam, due to repeated acts of senseless violence, has once again triggered fear among a large section of the Kashmiri Hindu community, particularly the PM's Package employees and Reserved Category Dogra employees serving across the Kashmir division. Most of these people are from the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community who were resettled in the valley through rehabilitation schemes meant to restore demographic representation and peace to the region. However, due to the onslaught of targeted killings and the worsening state of security, the initial safety and stability they felt were gone. The massacre in Pahalgam is not a new occurrence. It serves as a reminder of the calculated acts of violence in Kashmir typically targeting minority communities that attempted to return with dreams and hope into the valley based on the promises and assurances of the government.
Employees under the PM Package are central to the task of reintegration into the fabric of Kashmir, but they now live in perpetual fear. Also on this journey are the Reserved Category Dogra employees from the Jammu region, who, under State service provisions, are employed in departments throughout Kashmir. They both feel a profound sense of anxiety, unhelpfulness and betrayal. It is fair to acknowledge that PM Package employees did not return to Kashmir of their own choosing but as part of a comprehensive government plan under the Prime Minister's Rehabilitation Package. The intention was to assist with the return of the Kashmiri Pandits by way of employment and safe accommodation, but alas! to date the majority of package employees are scattered in rented accommodation, without safety or security. However, the sad reality is that many promises or assurances remain unfulfilled. From the beginning of the PM Package posting, these employees confronted serious concerns; a lack of housing, construction and inadequate workplace safety and isolation from their culture, but the most concerning threat has been the emergence of targeted killings aimed specifically at non-Muslim minorities in the valley.
Among the most horrifying incidents, terrifying to the conscience of the nation, was the murder of Rahul Bhat, a PM Package employ, who was shot and killed in his office on the very day the terrorists killed him, by terrorists, in Budgam district, in 2022. Rahul Bhat's murder was not simply the murder of an individual; it was the murder of the precarious confidence the community had in the state to protect them. Following this spine chilling incident occurred the murder of another Hindu dogra worker, Rajni Bala - a government teacher - who was murdered in her school premises in Kulgam district, by terrorists. These brutal killings, spilled over into nationwide indignation and protests from Kashmiri Pandits and Dogras, against the targeted killings and the demands for justice, and the right to live, work and not fear for their lives. Since the heinous attacks on Rahul Bhat, there is a string of targeted killings against minority employees, teachers, and civilians, which demonstrates that these communities have become vulnerable given today's security framework. Such acts of terrorism are not random acts of violence, they are deliberate and ideologically driven acts of violence with a view to instill fear, and to extract non Muslims from the region yet again.
For the minority employees, the psychological toll is significant. They not only expect danger during their commute, while at work, but are also fearful in their Government provided accommodation. Many employees do not go out at night, and far fewer are willing to travel with their families to Kashmir. The psychological trauma and fear of threat felt by the employees remains despite the administration's assurances. They are reportedly concerned they are used as political pawns in a narrative to convey a return to normalcy in the valley, as the Government has been criticized for retaining Hindu employees in Kashmir despite the imminent risk of threats to their life. There is no doubt that this has outraged the victims’ families and the wider community.
Due to the ongoing violence, there is a significant push to implement a temporary "Work From Home" plan or shift to safer areas in the Jammu region. Minority employees have inundated government leaders with requests for safety. The request is simple - allow them to provide service to the government from places where they are not living under constant threat. It is important to point out at this time that all government offices in Jammu and Kashmir have transitioned to E-offices therefore under these current circumstances those vulnerable employees need to be given the option of work via online methods to ensure their safety. In the COVID-19 world we now live, there have been many developments in digital infrastructures and remote work means are widespread; therefore, it is practical and humane to allow these employees to work from home until the safety from violence and threats are assured to them. These employees have proven their commitment to providing service in some of the toughest conditions; they just want to be able to provide service without fearing for their life each day. Also, and the demand for setting up exclusive minority zones or safe townships with adequate guarding has existed for some time. These measures are not just necessary for the safety of the employees, but also essential for maintaining trust in the government’s intent and ability to ensure justice and equality.
It is time for the government at both central and union territory levels to do more than simply express outrage and hand out tepid compensation packages. It is time for the government to present a detailed, time-bound action plan that puts employee safety and dignity at the forefront. The administration must thoroughly assess the security available to minority employees to allow them to be secure in their travel arrangements, to ensure ‘secure’ office facilities, provide protected accommodation space that is also secure, and most importantly, ensure there is a remote working option under emergency protocols. Similarly, the government needs to take preventative measures to disable the terror networks in the valley that target minorities. It is critical the safety of these employees is treated as a national priority, not as an administrative inconvenience. The return of Kashmiri Pandits and other minorities to the valley should be framed as gracious, united responses to a long-term problem rather than as a grisly account of blood, sweat and tears. Terrorism must not determine the narrative or the demographic outcome of Kashmir. To allow that to happen denies the constitutional principles of secularism, equality, and justice.
The environment in post-Pahalgam Kashmir has once again revealed the fragility of employees appointed under the Prime Minister's Package and Reserved Categories in the Valley. Their fear is certainly not imaginary - it comes from their lived experience and loss. If the government cares at all about the lives and services of these employees, it needs to act quickly and decisively. Allowing these employees to work from home, even temporarily, could save lives and send a clear and positive signal to those that commit acts of terror that India looks after all its citizens, of any religion and from any of its region. The time for symbolism is over. It is time for kindness, action and justice.
(Vivek Koul)
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