SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said every eligible family of civilians killed in terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir would receive government support, as he described the provision of jobs to their next of kin as an important step towards rehabilitation and justice.
Sinha made the remarks while distributing appointment letters to the next of kin of civilian terror victims at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC). He said the administration would continue to assist families that had faced prolonged hardship following the loss of their relatives to terrorism.
The Lieutenant Governor said employment or financial assistance could not make up for the loss of a family member, but maintained that supporting affected families was a constitutional, moral and humanitarian responsibility of the government.
“Our commitment is unwavering. Every eligible terror-affected family will receive justice, rehabilitation and the opportunity to rebuild life with dignity. No compensation can replace those we have lost, but the administration will continue extending every possible assistance to ensure these families are not left behind,” Sinha said.
He said several cases involving terror-affected families had remained unresolved for years and cited the family of Wali Mohammad Wani of Shopian, which received justice 33 years after his killing. The families of Abdul Hamid Bhat of Kupwara and Farooq Ahmad Mir of Tral, he said, received government employment after waiting for more than two decades.
Sinha also said land and property belonging to several terror victim families had been restored, while pending genuine cases were being examined to ensure eligible beneficiaries received assistance.
On the security situation, Sinha said the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and civil administration were working in coordination to dismantle the terror ecosystem and establish lasting peace in the Union Territory.
He said eliminating terrorism required the combined efforts of the government, security agencies and citizens, and stressed that the objective was to ensure lasting peace, stability and development.
Referring to the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019, Sinha described them as a turning point that ended what he termed decades of discrimination and extended equal constitutional rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the extension of more than 890 Central laws had strengthened governance, transparency, accountability and equal opportunities in the Union Territory. Recalling Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s address in Parliament on August 5, 2019, Sinha said more than 41,000 lives had been lost to terrorism over the years.
The Lieutenant Governor said the administration had also introduced transparent and merit-based recruitment and public service systems, which he said had helped strengthen public confidence in institutions.
Sinha said young people in Jammu and Kashmir were seeking opportunities rather than sympathy and had the ability to compete in education, entrepreneurship, innovation and sports with their counterparts elsewhere in the country.
Referring to an interaction with a student from Kupwara, he said academic sessions that had earlier extended to nearly seven years because of prolonged disruptions were now being completed within the prescribed schedule.
He also highlighted expansion in road connectivity, tunnels, airports, educational institutions and healthcare facilities, saying the development had created new opportunities for investment, employment and economic growth.
Sinha reiterated the administration’s commitment to a society based on the rule of law, justice, peace, democratic values and equal opportunities.
Paying tribute to personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army and CRPF who were killed while fighting terrorism, he said their sacrifices continued to strengthen the resolve to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir.
“The people’s faith in justice has grown stronger. Our commitment is to ensure that the dark chapters of terrorism never return and that every citizen lives with dignity, security and hope,” Sinha said.
