According to government orders 1984 and 2002 riot victims are supposed to get age relaxation in central government jobs, but Gujarat victims are often ignored.
By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: “Are you a victim of Gujarat riots 2002?” Well even if you are not from Gujarat, or not in Gujarat during the time of the riots, still you should know the answer to the question, especially if you are planning to apply for the coveted job with country’s spy agency Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The Application form of Intelligence Bureau (IB) has a mandatory column which seeks answer in Yes or No on whether the applicant is a victim of Gujarat riots 2002.
In January 2006, United Progressive Alliance Government had announced an additional ex-gratia relief and rehabilitation package for the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, that included compassionate appointment to children and family members of those killed in the riots by “special recruitment drive.”
The January, 2006 order read, “Children/family members of those who died in riots of 1984 will be given preference in recruitment in para-military forces, IR Battalions, State Police Forces, Public Sector Undertakings and other state and central government departments by giving necessary age relaxation. ”
In 2007, the central government had envisaged a similar relief and rehabilitation package, for the 2002 Gujarat riot victims as well. The MHA report of 2010 had noted that the State Government has disbursed the ex-gratia in approximately 99% cases while the disbursement is held up in rest of the cases due to factors like succession issues, present address not being available, court cases, etc.
Then Cabinet spokesperson Priyaranjan Dasmunsi had said that children and family members of those who died in the riots would be given preference, with age relaxation, in recruitment to paramilitary forces, IR battalion, the State police forces, public sector undertakings and State and Central government departments. The Central and State Governments might launch special recruitment drives to accommodate eligible members from the riot-affected families.
However, Narendra Modi’s Government had refused to grant jobs on compassionate ground and when this was challenged in the High Court, and in September 2011 HC refused to direct the state government to give jobs, observing that the court cannot expand the scope of the Union government’s policy and direct the state government to give jobs on compassionate grounds in absence of any such policy of state government.
In all the concerned security departments under MHA, like Indo-Tibetan Police Force, CRPF, IB etc, the age limit is relaxable for ex-servicemen as well as for candidates who were domiciled in J&K from 1.1.1980 to 31.12.1989 and children and dependents of victims of communal riots of 2002 in Gujarat and anti-Sikh riot in 1984.
For example, in a recent recruitment drive for backlog vacant positions for constables and drivers at Central Industrial Security Force, in personal detail section had two sections (9 and 10) for mentioning whether one was direct dependents of victim of 1984 or 2002 riots, respectively. It application form clearly said, “Upper Age limit upto 5 years is also relaxable further to the children and dependents of victims KILLED in the 1984 riots and communal riots of 2002 in Gujarat.” For similar posts in Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), too both groups of riots victims have been mentioned.
However, in the ongoing current online applications for the post of Security Assistant/Executive in IB, the last date for which is February 17, has only one section asking candidate if he is a victim of 2002 Gujarat riot.
In personal details section, besides nationality, state of domicile, religion, etc, applicants are asked if he has served before, was a Domicile of J&K during the period 01.01.1980 to 31.12.1989, and whether he was a victim of the 2002 riots in Gujarat.
IB comes directly under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Current chief of IB is Syed Asif Ibrahim, first Muslim to hold the post in its over 125 years’ history.
What is interesting to note though is that although it was not directly mentioned in the original circular, the new set of relaxation for kins of riot victims mainly seem to be given at lower level recruitments, and not for coveted Union public service examinations (UPSC), unlike ex-servicemen or domicile of J&K, who get the age relaxation at all levels.
Moreover, a simple Google search showed that although kins of 1984 anti-Sikh are mentioned to be in the category of those getting age relaxation specifically, 2002 Gujarat riots have often been ignored.
For example, for different lower level posts like typist, cook, supervisor, etc at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the eligibility criteria clearly explained, “Children/family members of those who died in the riots of 1984 will be given preference in recruitment by giving necessary age relaxation as applicable.” But not the 2002 victims.
In the recently publicised vacancy for Scientific Officer in the Department of Atomic Energy too 1984 Sikh victims are mentioned to be provided age relaxation, but the Gujarat riot victims have been ignored.
When the Canara Bank last year publicised for the post of manager and senior manager, it too did mention about the 1984 riot victims besides ex-servicemen, domicile of J&K during the period of 1980 and 1989, but ignored the 2002 Gujarat victims.
State Bank of India, on the other hand, seems to have ignored both the 1984 and 2002 victims, although categories of ex-servicemen and J&K domicile (between 1980 and 1989), like everywhere else, have been included.
The idea of giving some relaxation or preference to the kins of riot victims is noble in itself, but it seems like most other schemes this too is being implemented discriminately. Moreover, no doubt 1984 and 2002 riots were unprecedented, but a victim is a victim, whether of a larger planned massacre or of a small scale arson. Hence, the category should be made more general to include all victims of riots whether in Muzaffarnagar, Assam or Odisha.
Related:
Relaxations for Gujarat riot victims in recruitment for Indo-Tibetan Border Police
Asif Ibrahim, new chief of the Intelligence Bureau