Pandit youth Secretariat Chalo programme begins, Hundreds leave Jammu today

Hundreds of displaced Kashmiri Pandit (KP) youth left Jammu today morning for Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, to protest in front of the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar calling for the implementation of Prime Minister’s employment package for the unemployed youth

Jammu, June 14: Hundreds of displaced Kashmiri Pandit (KP) youth left Jammu today morning for Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, to protest in front of the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar calling for the implementation of Prime Minister’s employment package for the unemployed youth of the KP community which was announced by Dr Manmohan Singh on June 2008 during his visit to the state.

Hundreds of KP youth under the banner of Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS) left Jammu on June 14 for Srinagar as part of its programme to awaken the powers that be about the plight of unemployed KP youth languishing in Jammu for the past twenty years of their forced exile from Kashmir.

According to YAIKS president R.K. Bhat the programme which was earlier postponed due to disturbances in Valley will now be organized with more vigour and dedication.

Speaking to the activists of YAIKS at the time of leaving from Jammu, R K Bhat, president, YAIKS said the displaced Pandit youth is totally disappointed with the delaying tactics adopted by the Government and have lost all patience now adding YAIKS would fight for over 15,000 unemployed displaced youth of the community and today’s Srinagar Chalo is the first phase of agitation in this regard.

Later briefing the media Bhat said “we (KPs) don’t understand why the State Government is adopting delaying tactics on PM’s employment package when all the expenses for the same are to be borne by Union Government.”

He said the displaced youth will stage a demonstration outside the Secretariat in Srinagar tomorrow in support of their demand adding the agitation would continue till the implementation of the PM’s package is complete in letter and spirit.

J.L.Pandita, General Secretary YAIKS said that it is high time for the Government to come out with a time bound commitment on the employment package for KP youth with seven years age relaxation.

He further said that there is no arrangement for the pocket money of the grown up educated unemployed youth in general and displaced people in particular and he appealed to all social, political, religious and public leaders to come to their rescue and strength Kashmiri Pandits voice so that state Govt is awakened from its deep slumber.

Senior leader of KP community and vice president All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) V.K.Kashkari said that AIKS fully supports the demands of KP youths and said that time has come when Govt. has to take KP’s seriously and solve their problems immediately without any delay.

Meanwhile R.K.Bharti Foundation (RKBF) Chairman King.C.Bharti while supporting the Secretariat Chalo programme of YAIKS appealed the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir to take demands of Pandit youth seriously if he really wants to give a healing touch to all unlike others who had no sympathy for KP youths’ miseries.