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| Needed: Hardship allowance, other benefits for JK police | | Cops fight terror, get lip service | | Arun Jasrotia
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 3: The government had recently sought hardship allowance and other benefits like CSD and concession in housing loans, concession in the fee to the wards of policemen in private and educational institutions.
The JK police is one of the most vulnerable police forces in the world. It is not only dealing with the normal crime but being a multi dimensional force it has been fighting militancy since 1989.
With the passage of time there have been rise and fall in the number of militants and militancy-related activities in the state and the way JKP is handling the situation needs an appreciation/recognition at all levels.
Many precious lives of JKP were lost, properties of JKP personnel were burnt, families were targeted, but even then being a very responsible force, the JKP personnel never lost the courage and the determination to eradicate the social evils from the society including the menace of militancy and stone pelting. Each passing day, JKP has been losing its men but it has never lost the morale.
When militancy was at its peaks in 1990s, CRPF and other paramilitary forces were brought to JK to assist JKP and army with additional allowances like Hardship Allowance/TA, DA and many other monetary benefits. But JKP still lacks such benefits which the Centre and state government had been providing to them.
In the street agitations of 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016 and onwards, JKP came to the forefront and handled the situation very professionally. As a token of recognition to theirs work and dedication, Omar Abdullah, then CM of J&K granted 10 percent Hardship Allowance of the basic pay in favour of JKP. The situation was brought under control to the larger extent. Since then Pakistan and separatists targeted men of JKP.
Hundreds of policemen were killed by unruly mobs and militants. Lynching and then throwing of an SPO at Bijbehara into the Jhelum and lynching of DSP Ayoub Pandit by unruly mob outside the Jamia Masjid Srinagar while performing legitimate duties are some of the examples of the brunt bearing by JKP men.
Recently, killing of cops while celebrating Eid with their families is again condemned by all the sections of the society. Pakistan-sponsored militants killed JKP men while performing traffic regulation duty like in the case of an ASI (father of Zohara whose pictures of funeral goes viral at social media sites few months back) killed at Anantnag shown the vulnerability of 'men in Khaki'.
Killing of SI Feroz Ahmed Dar SHO Acchabal while returning from duty after some villagers blocked the road due to non availability of water in the area again speaks about the target killings and vulnerability of policemen who always stood up for the genuine grievances of public.
Though the statesmen are appreciating the services rendered by JKP in bringing normalcy to the larger extent and handling of situations, theirs speeches hadn't given 'due to them' like Hardship Allowance and other benefits as in the case of Army and other paramilitary forces operating in the state of J&K.
In the recent past, government after sincere efforts by S.P. Vaid, DGP JKP, created cadre of JKPS and enhanced the quota of Selection Grade Constables but enhancement in Hardship Allowance is still a distant dream for JKP.
A policeman while performing law and order duty in Srinagar city while taking to this reporter said: "Our issues are genuine, and if government of J&K want to address these issues it's a matter of few hours only. But unfortunately we are met with stepmotherly treatment." |
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