Jammu: The youth wing of the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir and the ABVP held protests on Wednesday demanding the re-advertisement or the extension of the last date for filing applications for the Naib Tehsildar posts, following a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order that stayed the government’s directive making Urdu mandatory for the position.
The Tribunal, on Monday, stayed the operation of the relevant provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Revenue (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules of 2009, insofar as they mandated graduation with knowledge of Urdu as the minimum qualification for the post of Naib Tehsildar.
Lashing out at the Omar Abdullah government for “regional discrimination against Jammu”, the two organisations staged protests in Jammu.
This was part of a three-week-long series of demonstrations held in Jammu by various groups, including the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), in opposition to the Urdu requirement.
“I want to warn the government that all Naib Tehsildar posts should be re-advertised. If not, we will be forced to come out onto the streets in protest. We will continue to fight for Jammu and its youth,” BJYM J&K unit president Arun Prabhat, told reporters here.
Prabhat pointed out that when the CAT order was issued, the last date to apply for the posts was the very next day, which gave no real benefit to the youth. “Therefore, these posts must be re-advertised,” he added.
He expressed gratitude to the CAT for delivering justice to the educated youth of Jammu and said, “We are thankful to the CAT, which stayed a discriminatory and arbitrary order and directed the government to accept applications for Naib Tehsildar posts in different languages, not just Urdu.”
Emphasising that their struggle was ongoing for almost three weeks, which the government ignored without taking any steps, Prabhat said, “With the CAT’s decision, Jammu’s youth have won today. We have achieved victory and justice.”
Criticising the Omar Abdullah government for its continued mindset of “discrimination against Jammu”, he said, “The Omar Abdullah-led government tried to create regional discrimination based on language and attempted to provoke the people of Jammu. Through an arbitrary order, they made Urdu mandatory for filing applications for Naib Tehsildar recruitment.”
Prabhat also accused the government of showing its biased mentality and discriminatory attitude towards Jammu. “This government is not for Jammu’s people, not in the interest of Jammu’s youth; rather, it is working against them through discrimination. We will not tolerate this injustice and will oppose them at every turn,” he added.
Senior Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leaders reiterated that the protests aimed to signal to the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Recruitment Board (JKSSRB) that they must either extend the application deadline or re-advertise the posts, as the youth of Jammu had not received any real benefit, which they view as a clear case of discrimination.
The leaders called for the JKSSRB to issue immediate orders to extend the deadline for submitting applications for Naib Tehsildar positions so that applicants can submit in any official language, not just Urdu.
A leader further stated that the last date for applying (July 15) was the next day following the CAT order, and many youths were unable to submit their forms. “As a result, the CAT order did not benefit them properly. So, we demand the extension of the last date,” he said.
The CAT, in its order, stated: “Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Recruitment Board (SSRB) is directed to accept applications for the post of Naib Tehsildar from candidates who possess graduation with knowledge of any of the five official languages enumerated in the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 — Hindi, Kashmiri, English, Dogri, and Urdu.”
Additionally, the CAT issued notices to the respondents, directing them to file their reply within four weeks from the date of the order.
The next date of the hearing on the matter is August 13.
