By IANS
Jammu : The relatives of those killed last year in two massacres in Udhampur and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir have been appointed to government jobs, an official said.
Thirty-two people were killed in two massacres in Basantgarh area of Udhampur district and Kulhand of Doda district on the intervening night of April 30 and May 1 last year. The people surviving the victims were appointed to government posts Monday.
As per the government policy instituted in early 1990s, one member of each family who lost a person due to militancy is entitled to a government job. The government used to hand over employment letters to the families of terrorism victims within weeks of the incident.
However, this time the government gave the jobs almost 18 months after the massacres.
The government’s policy has come under severe criticism because it does not apply to the victims of crossfire incidents and the families of militants.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the ruling alliance partner, says that militants’ families are not responsible for terrorism and should be helped when they lose a breadwinner. PDP leaders argue that the denial of relief to the families of the militants gives rise to social evils and brews resentment against the system.