Future of youth bleak under present dispensation: Sadhotra, Rattan Lal

• JKNC Student Wing convenes meeting, advocates for youth empowerment

JAMMU: A meeting of the J&K National Conference Student Wing convened at Sher-E-Kashmir Bhawan under the chairmanship of Harshvardhan Singh, President of the JKNC Student Wing for Jammu Province.

The meeting, attended by senior functionaries including Ajay Sadhotra, Additional General Secretary of JKNC and former minister, Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President, Sheikh Bashir Ahmed Provincial Secretary of JKNC, Ayub Malik Provincial Secretary, Vijay Lochan Chairman SC Cell and others, addressed pressing concerns faced by the youth of Jammu region due to the present government's anti-youth policies.

Harshvardhan Singh opened the session by highlighting the challenges encountered by Jammu's youth, emphasizing the detrimental effects of the government's policies on their future prospects.

Addressing the gathering, Ajay Sadhotra lamented the scarcity of job opportunities and rampant recruitment scams, asserting that the incumbent government has plunged Jammu and Kashmir's youth into uncertainty and despair. He accused the incumbent government of failing in bringing a job policy and said the initiatives taken during the previous Government led by Omar Abdullah have been negated. He underscored the persistent issue of unemployment in the industrially underdeveloped state, urging the authorities to acknowledge and address this critical issue.

Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President, in his address, said that the issue of youths grappling with uncertainty as the government lacks a concrete policy to ensure a secure career path for this demographic. He emphasized that under the current administration's incapability, the future of these educated unemployed youths is at risk of deterioration. He highlighted that over 7 lakh deserving unemployed youth in J&K are eagerly seeking job opportunities, yet the government has failed to fulfill the recruitment process.

The Provincial President reiterated the National Conference's longstanding commitment to harnessing youth potential for constructive purposes and creating opportunities for their engagement in the political sphere. He underscored the importance of ‘Today's workers becoming tomorrow's leaders’, encouraging youth to follow the example of prominent party leaders who have made significant sacrifices to foster unity among different segments of society, particularly during challenging periods.

Furthermore, he urged them to work hard for their forthcoming future and contribute actively to nation-building endeavors. In the meeting the senior leaders of National Conference strongly condemned the militant attack in Khaned (Basantgarh) in District Udhampur in which one VDC was Martyrs. They accused the wrong policies of this present government and lapses of security agencies.

Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Provincial Secretary, echoed the sentiment of discontent among the youth, particularly the educated unemployed, attributing their disillusionment to the administration's nepotistic practices and anti-youth policies. He asked them to remain in students and work for addressing and highlighting their issues from time to time. 

Following the deliberations, numerous youths, inspired by the principles and vision of the National Conference, joined the party fold, including Usman Malik, Sajad Ali, Waris Wani, Sahil Malik, and many others, along with their supporters. Those who were present in the meeting include: Som Raj Taroch, Ajay Kumar, Manohar Khajuria, Dr Gazala Noor, Arunpal singh, Sakib kichloo, Deeraj Sharma, Vishal Thakur, Massarat Malik, Adress Ch, Varun and others.