KS Correspondent

JAMMU, July 14:

As the recent massacres show, the "peace moves" have made the minorities more vulnerable targets. A bureaucracy endowed with vision and fair-play would have devised a system, in view of the peculiar circumstances obtaining in the state, to ensure that secular governance prevails. The displaced college teachers have taken umbrage at the state government’s decision to conduct interviews for selection of principals only at Srinagar. With this attitude, they have questioned the tall claims made by the government regarding the return of the displaced Pandit community. In other instances also, the bureaucracy has stalled the moves aimed at removing the patent discrimination.

The Education department is presently conducting the interviews for 31 vacant post of principals in various Degree Colleges in the State. During the past few years the interviews used to be conducted both at Srinagar and Jammu. By this order, the 59 eligible displaced colleges teachers have been deprived their right to appear in the interview. The teachers have boycotted the interview. The president of the Migrant College Teachers Association (MTCA), BL Zutshi observed that "the government has taken the step so that the migrant teachers do not get an opportunity to appear in the interview. Knowing fullywell that the migrants fear to go to the Valley, they chose the venue in Srinagar" The letter issued by the under Secretary, Education Department, to the eligible candidates, to complete the procedural formalities does not mention anything about the security arrangements made for the candidates and the lodging provision.

The General Secretary, MTCA Mr Ashok Munshi, while referring to the escalation of violence in Valley said, in 1987 when the situation was normal in the Valley, the interviews were held at Jammu and Srinagar.

Mr Zutshi, cited another instance and added that most of the candidates who have been officiating as incharge principals for the last 11 years, were denied full-fledged principalship on the ground that the government did not want to disturb their status as they had been working in the camp colleges under adhoc arrangement. Because of holding interview at Srinagar only, all these deserving candidates have lost the opportunity to get regularised.

A media report quoted PSC Chairman HH Tyab Jee as saying, "The interviews have been held and the candidates have appeared, it makes no difference to me if people are offended". He made these remarks, when asked that people in Jammu were offended by marking Srinagar as a lone Centre.