KP employees protest enters 21st day

Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit employees, who have refused to return to work in the Valley after alleged stone-pelting on their transit camp, today accused the Union and the state government of maintaining a "criminal silence".
As their protest entered the 21st day today, they raised slogans against the state government, alleging that it was not serious about their plight.
Not a single official from the government has visited the protest site to talk to us, they claimed and said a "step-motherly treatment" was being meted out to them.
The agitated employees protesting under the banner of All Migrant Employees Association Kashmir are demanding adjustment to package and batch in Jammu till a comprehensive plan for their return and rehabilitation was framed.

"We demand that the present government review this whole employment package which has been implemented by then state and centre governments in haste," said R J Saproo, one of the protesting employees.
"First, there is a need to declare this employment as an economic package rather an employment package under return and rehabilitation," Rakesh Pandita, another employee, said.

Pandita also demanded that all the employees under this package should be posted as per their choice.
Criticising the state and the central governments, former Professor B L Zutshi said it was surprising that no official communique from both state or the Centre have been released till date condemning the incidents of violence against minorities in the Valley.

APMCC Chairman Vinood Pandita urged the government to break its silence on the issue.
The All Party Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC), an organisation representing the displaced Kashmiri Pandits, has said that over 700 Kashmir-based employees from the community have fled to Jammu following the unrest that started after the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8.