State govts have deprived KPs of various privileges: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said successive state governments in Jammu and Kashmir have created issues of contention amongst the section of the displaced community of Kashmiri Pandits.

“At a time when the Narendra Modi government at the Centre is trying its best to address the grievances of every section of refugees and displaced communities in Jammu and Kashmir, it is appalling that the state government creates yet another issue of contention among a section of displaced community,” Singh said while addressing a deputation of the state government employees belonging to the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community here on Sunday.

While sharing their problems with the Union minister, the deputation claimed they were being deprived of privileges that were normally available to government employees.

“This is a case of blatant discrimination against a section of government employees. Such callousness on the part of the government does not only create unrest among the employees, but also creates divisions among different groups of employees,” Singh said.

“It is not only a violation of the terms and conditions under which a government engages an employee, but is also a violation of law and may not even stand the test of legal scrutiny. Such anomaly, therefore, needs to be redressed without any delay,” he added.