Month On, No Kashmiri Pandit Employee Resumes Work Fearing Target Attacks

Pandits say they will return to their duties in the Valley only after Government finishes militancy so that there is no fear of being targeted.

A candle light vigil, hunger strike and a pledge to fight for their safety and relocation to Jammu marks one month of protests by Kashmiri Pandits after killing of Rahul Bhat. Mr Bhat, a Revenue department employee was shot dead inside a magistrates office last month. Since then Kashmiri Pandit employees have refused to attend their duties fearing terrorist attacks.

So far Government efforts to persuade Pandit employees to go back to work have failed. Food and Supplies department today issued an order directing Pandit employees to resume their duties on June 16 in Ganderbal district.

"All the PM package employees of Food and Civil Supplies department, Ganderbal district, are hereby directed to resume their duties with effect from June 16,2022," reads an order.

Confined to transit camps in the Valley, the migrant Pandit employees held a day-long hunger strike at Vessu camp and pledged to fight for their relocation to Jammu.