Scores of people employed under the three schemes staged a protest here on Sunday, demanding quashing of the Jammu and Kashmir government’s decision to re-advertise the posts on which they were engaged for fresh appointments.

The government had on Friday re-advertised the posts of Rehbar-e-Janglat, Rehbar-e-Zeerat and Rehbar-e-Khel through the Services Selection Board.

It said those already working in these posts would be given additional weightage and age relaxation.

Hundreds of people working under the schemes gathered at the Press Enclave here and protested demanding the withdrawal of the order.

“We, Rehbar-e-Khel teachers, are protesting here because the government has ordered re-advertisements on the posts in which we were engaged. The government has gone back on its own order, which said that our services will be made permanent after seven. years,” said one of the protesting employees.

They said they demand quashing of the order.

“Whatever they wanted us to do, we did. We did our services even during Covid. Now they are stabbing us in the back. If they don’t take back the orders, we will stay here and sacrifice our lives, Another protester said.

The employees said they were to be made permanent in August this year after seven years, but unfortunately their services have been terminated and the posts are being re-advertised. “We want to revoke the order so that justice is done to us and our families,” said another protester.

Meanwhile, political parties and leaders also condemned the government’s decision.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti called the order absurd and demanded its withdrawal. He said that the re-advertisement of the posts to facilitate the employment of non-residents in these posts was a malicious move.

The National Conference (NC) also condemned the decision of the Lieutenant Governor’s administration, saying that the undemocratic action will further deepen the employment crisis in Jammu and Kashmir.

Its state spokesman Imran Nabi Dar said the decision was indeed a grave injustice to thousands of professionally trained youth who worked at low wages expecting regularization after five to seven years.

He said that this scheme was prepared by the elected governments keeping in mind the alarming rate of unemployment.

“It is unfair and unjust for democratically elected governments to undo decisions taken by a system of bureaucrats. Such decisions have no parallel in a democracy and nowhere has it happened that some bureaucrats have taken decisions duly approved by the state cabinet. Which got the approval of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. What this provisional administration has done is that it has completely disregarded the decision behind which the people’s mandate was,” he said.

“Behind the figments of promoting transparency, it seems that the current administration is working on a plan to engage outsiders in J&K and keep the youth of J&K away from such job opportunities. By removing these employees at this juncture, the administration has put them, their families under undue pressure and pain,” he said.

Expressing serious concern over the decision, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami said that even after the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, the government has not yet created employment opportunities. “Instead it has announced to re-advertise Rehbar-e-Janglat, Khel, Zeerat posts which have been serving the government together for years. These schemes were designed keeping in view the rising unemployment for the technically qualified youth launched by successive governments.

“These youths were appointed on merit basis through proper recruitment process. Most of them have crossed the age limit now and are not in a position to compete with fresh pass outs in their respective fields at this stage,” he said.

The CPI(M) leader said the government’s decision was “unfortunate” as instead of providing employment, it was snatching away even limited opportunities, it should be revoked at the earliest.

The People’s Conference also condemned the decision and termed it absolutely wrong and unfair.

We are completely against this decision. Governments are about consistency and continuity. The soul and essence of governments in any democratic system is a continuous series of decisions that are made by the new governments in the interest of the people. “If every government has to challenge and undo the actions and decisions of previous governments it will certainly be a recipe for disaster,” party spokesman Adnan Ashraf Mir said in a statement.