JAMMU: Sunil Dimple, President of Mission Statehood, led a significant protest rally along with unemployed educated youths on Janipur High Court Road, braving heavy rain to voice their concerns against the Union BJP government. The demonstrators blocked traffic to highlight the government's failure to address unemployment issues in Jammu and Kashmir over the past decade, particularly among educated youth who are now facing age-related challenges.
Dimple criticized the lack of a full-fledged Jammu and Kashmir state, asserting that all powers currently rest with the Home Minister, Lieutenant Governor, and Chief Secretary. He warned that the Chief Minister and elected government are unable to function effectively due to the dual power centers in the region.
During the rally, Dimple called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to expedite the filling of vacant positions across various departments and to advertise all JKSSB posts, as many departments are experiencing significant staff shortages. He urged the Prime Minister and Home Minister to fulfill their commitments and restore Jammu and Kashmir's statehood.
Highlighting alarming statistics, Dimple pointed out that Jammu and Kashmir has the highest unemployment rate in India at 42%, emphasizing that this issue has worsened over the last ten years. He demanded age relaxation for police sub-inspector recruitment and called for the regularization of various categories of workers, including Rehbrey Khel, Janglat, Sehat daily wagers, Special Police Officers (SPOs), Anganwadi workers, medical pharmacists, and others who have remained in precarious employment conditions.
Dimple alleged that none of these workers have been permanently recruited in the last decade, leading many to exceed age limits for employment opportunities. He also urged the alliance government to nominate a representative from Jammu's Dogra community for a Rajya Sabha seat, recognizing their efforts for statehood after August 5, 2019.
Additionally, Dimple called upon Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah to nominate four Rajya Sabha members and five MLAs while pushing for immediate local body elections. He criticized the business rules drafted by both the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Speaker, questioning which set would be implemented and expressing concern that they could further confuse residents and undermine elected governance. Prominent youth leaders supporting Dimple during this rally included Rupesh Bhat, Sachin Soi, Sat Sharma, Bunty Dogra, and Ashok Kumar.
