Even after the Abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A, aspiring West Pakistani Refugee (WPR) candidates continue to face neglect at the hands of administrative authorities in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
On Thursday, a large number of West Pakistani Refugee candidates, who appeared in the special recruitment drive conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir police to raise two Border Battalions, staged protest demonstrations in Jammu urging the authorities to consider their Domicile certificates in place of Permanent Resident Certificates (PRC).
The candidates claimed, "after clearing the physical endurance and physical standard test they were directed to furnish their set of documents". When we went to deposit the same we were told to submit Permanent Resident Certificates". The candidates claimed when they were deprived of the same all these years how can they deposit the same.
The candidates demanded after the Abrogation of Article 370 PRC has been made redundant and only Domicile certificates are required to be furnished. "We too have processed our Domicile certificates and have deposited our Border resident certificates after the same were duly attested by the Sub Divisional Magistrate. Now we want to know why we are being denied our fundamental right to appear in the entrance examination for the post of constable". The candidates claimed, it is injustice with them."Since last one year we have appeared in various stages of the recruitment process we were never told that they require our PRC's".
Chairman of the West Pakistan Refugee Action Committee Labha Ram Gandhi told The Pioneer, "after a large number of aspiring candidates approached him to resolve the issue he met MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh in New Delhi and briefed him in detail seeking redressal in favour of the west Pak refugee candidates".
Labha Ram Gandhi claimed, "MoS PMO immediately got in touch with the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Sanjeev Verma and directed him to look into the issue and resolve the same". Labha Ram Gandhi said, "on my return I visited the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu and briefed him in detail about the status of aspiring candidates".Divisional Commissioner, Jammu too contacted a senior police officer, incharge of the recruitment drive. I was told to meet him in person, Gandhi said.
"When I met him the police officer claimed the notification for the said recruitment drive was issued by the Home Department in March 2019 and only they are authorised to consider the representation and take a final call on the issue".Gandhi appealed to the Lt-Governor Manoj Sinha to consider the plea of West Pak Refugee candidates the way he recently relaxed the upper age limit for candidates appearing in the common competitive entrance test for filing vacancies in different government departments.