Railway recruitment issue: JKNPP to launch agitation

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party today threatened to launch an agitation over the recruitment of Kashmiri-origin youths against railway vacancies in Jammu region.
"We will start a railtrack agitation from next month, if the Centre failed to withdraw Kashmiri youths employed on the the posts meant for locals on Kathua-Udhampur-Katra Rail track," JKNPP president and MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia told reporters here.
JKNPP would also hold panchayat-level demonstrations along the track from Lakhanpur-Samba-Udhampur-Jammu-Reasi upto Ramban-Banihal against the appointment of Kashmiri youths on the posts meant for Jammu people, he said.
He said Panthers Party has been protesting against these over 100 appointments on Katra-Udhampur Railway track for last over twenty days but the government has failed to take cognisance of the serious matter concerning the future of Jammu's youths.

Mankotia said while Kashmir valley has been reserved for appointing only Kashmiris and special recruitment drives were conducted by the state and Central governments for Kashmiri youths, Jammu youths have been neglected in each and every sphere.
"Now the decision of the railway ministry to appoint them on the track in Jammu region has directly hit the interests of Jammu youths," he said.
He also criticised the state government "for regularising the agriculture technocrats in Kashmir region and ignoring those from Jammu region".
Panthers Party has submitted a memorandum to the railway ministry, he said, adding, the party expresses its deep anguish over the decision to employ staff even for Class IV job on Udhampur-Katra Railline from Kashmir Valley ignoring the local unemployed youth.