On return, Jammu employees praise Kashmiris hospitality Blame forces of atrocities, fueling unrest

Greater Kashmir

SYED AMJAD SHAH

Jammu, Aug 5: Keeping high traditions of hospitality, the people in Kashmir, despite facing severe shortage of essential commodities in wake of continues curfew and bandhs , treated Jammu based government employees and teachers as their guests, even if, they (Kashmiri families) do not have sufficient food for themselves.

Contrary to the rumors being spread here, a government teacher posted in the valley told Greater Kashmir on the conditions of anonymity that during his stay he was treated by his neighbors as their guest and family member.
Impressed with their tradition of hospitality, the teachers and other government employees of Jammu (who returned recently) prayed for the early solution of vexed Kashmir dispute so that the people of Kashmir and Jammu regions could leave a peaceful and prosperous life.
Des Raj (name changed), a government teacher said the false information was being spread by vested interests in Jammu that minorities were in danger and they were being harassed by the people. “I feel ashamed as no concern was raised by the most of the Jammu based political parties and other organizations, expect few. They instead, gave contradictory statements which is creating wedge among the people of two regions,” Raj rued.
Accusing the CRPF troopers of harassing the government employees, the employees alleged that they were being beaten and most of the time, were not allowed to reach their respective offices.
Despite orders from the government to attend offices, the aggrieved government employees said some of them were possessing curfew passes but were allegedly not allowed to reach their respective place of duties by the CRPF troopers in most of the parts.
“We were shocked with their response and when we reached Jammu, most of us heard that government employees were stopped by the protesters from performing duties,” Ravinder Kumar (name changed) of Bari Brahmana said, adding “The paramilitary troopers were responsible not the people as they (people) helped us during the turmoil period.”
“The family members in whose, house I have taken a room on rent treat me as a member of their family. I have been leaving at Sumbal Sonawari area. I spent two months of unrest in their house without any problem. I and my other colleagues were never harassed by the people, a Jammu based teacher said after he returned to his native village in district Samba.
Satvir Kumar Bhagat (name changed), told Greater Kashmir that he decided to return due to strict curfew imposed in the Bandipore by the local police and CRPF as they did not allow any movement, even if, one posses a curfew pass. I remained indoors for three days and later, decided to return home last night.
Posted at a government school in Sumbal Sonawari (Bandipura), Manohar Lal said: “The peace in Bandipore was breached with the killing of a young protester in police and CRPF firing at Naidkhai area nearly five days back, after which, demonstrations rocked the town and strict curfew was imposed by the police and paramilitary troopers later.
Before the killing, he said all the educational institutes and business establishments were functioning normally. However, the peaceful atmosphere in was vitiated by the ‘irresponsible’ forces after they attacked a group of peaceful protestors.
The forces should be controlled by the government, he stressed while saying the vicious spate of killing is going on in Kashmir where people protesting against killings were shot at leading to more deaths.
Romesh Chander (name changed), another government teacher posted at Srinagar said they were treated by the Kashmiris as if they (Jammu based teachers) were their guests or family members.