Srinagar, Nov 08(KNS): Congress lawmakers in Jammu and Kashmir called on the state government to reconsider its controversial employment verification policy, which has led to the denial of government jobs for individuals with family ties to militants or those accused of stone pelting.

Nizamuddin Bhat, Congress legislator from Bandipora and Chief Whip in the state assembly, emphasized the need for a review of this policy, arguing that punitive measures against families of militants or stone pelters were preventing young, educated people from securing government jobs.

Bhat made his remarks during a Motion of Thanks speech in the Legislative Assembly, pointing out that many deserving candidates had been rejected from government positions due to police verification issues linked to family members' involvement in militancy or stone pelting. He urged the Chief Minister to look into the matter and revise the policy to avoid further injustice to the youth.

Bhat provided two specific examples from his Bandipora constituency to highlight the negative impact of the policy. One case involved Sobiya Mushtaq, an orphan and a postgraduate in literature who had been selected for two government lecturer positions. Despite her selection, Sobiya was denied employment because her brother, a juvenile, had been accused of stone pelting.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelAlthough the case was quashed twice by the court, the police verification remained adverse, preventing her from taking up the job.

In another instance, journalist Sajad Gul from Bandipora, who had been detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for over a year, faced similar obstacles. Despite his brother being employed by the government after completing his PhD, Sajad could not join the position due to the negative verification linked to his own detention.

Bhat stressed that such policies, which penalize innocent relatives of accused individuals, were detrimental to the empowerment of the youth and needed urgent revision. The Congress legislator emphasized that the government should not deny educated youth their rightful opportunities because of the actions of family members.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration had introduced the verification policy following the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A in August 2019. Under this policy, individuals whose relatives are linked to militancy, separatism, or stone pelting are not granted clear police verification for government employment.(KNS)