Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday handed over appointment letters to family members of terror victims at Lok Bhavan Auditorium, Srinagar, reiterating the administration’s commitment to provide justice, jobs and dignity to the affected families.Addressing the gathering, the LG said the administration stands firmly with every victim family in Jammu and Kashmir and will continue to support them in every possible way.
Sinha said the initiative to provide government jobs to terror victim families started around 13 months ago when some affected families from the Kashmir division met him and shared their painful experiences. “Their stories moved me deeply, and we decided to identify genuine cases for rehabilitation and provide them with government jobs,” he said.
The LG said that today, 39 families from the Kashmir division received appointment letters, while 41 such families were given letters earlier in Jammu. He said nine families affected by the recent Nowgam blast were also provided job letters on Friday evening. “More than 200 family members have been provided government jobs so far this year,” he said.
Recalling his interaction with victims, Sinha said he met several families who lost their loved ones to terrorism and were left to struggle in silence for years. “One of them told me his mother had to beg to raise him after their home was destroyed. Many children grew up without parents, yet no one came forward to help them,” he said.
The LG said the administration has also decided that properties belonging to the victims and their families, which were taken away during the years of terrorism, will be returned to the rightful owners. “We are ensuring that no deserving family is left behind. Even cases where FIRs were not filed will be examined and justice delivered,” he said.
Sinha described how, for decades, those truly affected by terrorism were ignored while “those linked with the terror ecosystem” took undue advantage. “There was a time when innocent civilians were being killed, but the terror ecosystem was thriving. Those affected by terrorism were left to suffer in silence, while sympathisers of terrorism enjoyed privileges,” he said.
He called it a “painful paradox” that terrorists’ funerals were once glorified, while the real victims were forgotten. “We will not allow this injustice to continue. Those who glorify terrorism today will face strict action,” he said.
The LG said that over the past five years, several government employees with direct or indirect links to terrorism have been terminated, adding that the process of cleansing institutions from the influence of the terror ecosystem will continue. “Each individual responsible for spreading false narratives and aiding terrorism will be identified and punished,” he said.
Reaffirming his government’s resolve, Sinha said the administration is determined to make Jammu and Kashmir completely free from terrorism and its ecosystem. “Anyone supporting terrorism in any form will face harsh punishment. This is our collective duty to protect peace and ensure that no family suffers again,” he said.
The LG also said that during the past two years, the administration has accelerated the process of rehabilitation. “Earlier, some families waited decades for help. Now, we are ensuring timely redressal. This initiative will continue until every affected family gets justice,” he said.
The programme, attended by senior officers, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg and family members of victims, concluded with the LG expressing satisfaction that the government has moved from sympathy to concrete action. “This is not just assistance; this is our tribute to their sacrifice,” he said.—(KNO)
