Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Dec 13: Reiterating his commitment to deliver justice, jobs and dignity to terror victim families, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday handed over appointment letters to 39 Next of Kins (NoKs) of terror victims from Kashmir Division, at Lok Bhavan here.
Sinha said, “For these families, today the long wait for justice has ended. With concrete steps for rehabilitation, we have restored their dignity and faith in the system,”
The Lieutenant Governor said that today, 39 families were given appointment letters, while 41 such families were handed over these letters earlier in Jammu. “Nine families affected by the recent Nowgam blast were also provided job letters on Friday evening. More than 200 family members have been provided government jobs this year,” he said.
While highlighting the deep and lasting scars left by terror and violence, LG Sinha said, “Terrorism not only claimed innocent lives but also shattered families, pushing them into decades of silence, stigma and poverty. Behind every brutal killing by terrorists lies a story of a home that never recovered, of children who grew up without parents.”
The Lieutenant Governor expressed concern that for a long time, the pain and trauma of these families were ignored.
He said, “Real victims of terrorism and true martyrs were often hounded by elements within the terror ecosystem. On one hand, Over Ground Workers (OGWs) were appointed to government jobs, while on the other, the Next of Kins of terror victims were left to fend for themselves.”
Sinha emphasized that for generations, the system failed these victims by not giving their cases the priority they deserved. “We are now empowering the voices of victims and ensuring that they receive their rightful dues and entitlements. At the same time, we are committed to delivering swift and fair justice to the perpetrators,” he asserted.
Stressing that the fight against terrorism is a collective responsibility, the Lieutenant Governor said society as a whole must unite against this menace. “We must pledge to fight terrorism with determination and patience, and foil the designs of our adversaries,” he said.
Reiterating the administration’s firm stance, Sinha declared that Jammu and Kashmir’s policy on terrorism is unequivocal. “There is zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms. Every available resource and means will be used to make J&K terrorism-free. Those who provide sanctuary, safe haven or any kind of support to terrorists will have to pay a very heavy price,” he warned.
The Lieutenant Governor stated that after the abrogation of Article 370, the terror victim families have found new courage and self-confidence, and now they are speaking out against the terror ecosystem without fear.
“For generations, the system had failed these victims by not giving their cases the priority they deserved. We are empowering victim’s voices and ensuring they get their dues and rights they deserve. We are also committed for swift and fair justice to perpetrators,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that continuing the fight against terrorism is a task which the society as a whole has to undertake. We must pledge to fight against the scourge with determination, patience and foil the efforts of our adversary, he said.
“For a long time, the system ignored the pain and trauma of these families. Real victims of terrorism and true martyrs were hounded by elements within the terror ecosystem. On one hand the OGWs were appointed in government jobs, on the other, NoKs of terror victims were left to fend for themselves.
Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, our policy on terrorism is unequivocal- Zero tolerance to terrorism in all its forms. “Every available resource and means will be used to make J&K terrorism-free and those who are giving sanctuary, safe-haven or any other support to terrorists will have to pay a very heavy price,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Recalling his interaction with victims, Sinha said he met several families who lost their loved ones to terrorism and were left to struggle in silence for years. “One of them told me his mother had to beg to raise him after their home was destroyed. Many children grew up without parents, yet no one came forward to help them,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that the administration has also decided that properties belonging to the victims and their families, which were taken away during the years of terrorism, will be returned to the rightful owners. “We are ensuring that no deserving family is left behind. Even cases where FIRs were not filed will be examined and justice delivered,” he said.
Sinha described how, for decades, those truly affected by terrorism were ignored while “those linked with the terror ecosystem” took undue advantage. “There was a time when innocent civilians were being killed, but the terror ecosystem was thriving. Those affected by terrorism were left to suffer in silence, while sympathisers of terrorism enjoyed privileges,” he said.
He called it a “painful paradox” that terrorists’ funerals were once glorified, while the real victims were forgotten. “We will not allow this injustice to continue. Those who glorify terrorism today will face strict action,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said that over the past five years, several government employees with direct or indirect links to terrorism have been terminated, adding that the process of cleansing institutions from the influence of the terror ecosystem will continue. “Each individual responsible for spreading false narratives and aiding terrorism will be identified and punished,” he said.
Others who were present on the occasion included special DG Coordination PHQ, S.J.M. Gillani; Principal Secretary Home, Chandraker Bharti; Commissioner Secretary, GAD M Raju; Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor, Dr Mandeep K. Bhandari; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg; IGP Kashmir, VK Birdi; Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Akshay Labroo; Chairman, Save Youth Save Future Foundation, Wajahat Farooq Bhat and other members of the Foundation, senior officials, members of various social organisations and family members of victims of terrorism.
