No Government Jobs For Relatives Of Terrorists, Stone Pelters In J&K: Amit Shah
NEW DELHI, May 27: In a firm declaration, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that family members of terrorists or stone pelters in Jammu and Kashmir will not be eligible for government jobs. This decision is part of the broader strategy of the Narendra Modi government to dismantle the terror ecosystem in the region.
In a recent interview with PTI, Shah emphasized that this policy aims to deter individuals from joining terrorist organizations. “In Kashmir, we have decided that if someone joins a terrorist organisation, their family members will not get any government job,” Shah said. The same rule applies to those involved in stone pelting.
Despite challenges from human rights activists who contested the policy in the Supreme Court, the government has upheld its decision. Shah noted an exception to this rule: if a family member informs authorities about a relative joining a terror outfit, they would be considered for relief.
Shah also highlighted changes in the handling of funerals for terrorists, now conducted privately and in isolated locations to prevent public processions. Furthermore, security forces offer terrorists a chance to surrender, often involving appeals from their family members.
The Home Minister reported a significant decline in terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, attributing this to the government’s efforts to disrupt terror funding and eliminate the infrastructure supporting terrorism. “Through the NIA, we have taken strong action against terror funding and ended it,” he added.
Shah also mentioned the government’s crackdown on the Popular Front of India (PFI), a radical Muslim group banned in September 2022 for its alleged terror links. Additionally, he referenced the arrest of Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistani separatist leader, under the National Security Act.
Government data supports Shah’s claims of decreased terror activity. In 2018, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed 228 terrorist-initiated incidents, which fell to around 50 in 2023. Civilian casualties dropped from 55 in 2018 to around five in 2023, and the number of security personnel killed decreased from 91 to around 15 in the same period.
This stringent stance underscores the government’s commitment to restoring peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir by dismantling the terror ecosystem and discouraging any form of support for terrorism.
