F&ES aspirants stage protest in Srinagar

Srinagar, Jul 14: A group of aggrieved aspirants for the Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) department staged a fresh protest at Press Enclave Srinagar on Monday, demanding justice over an alleged recruitment scam that they claim has been hanging in balance for more than a decade.
The demonstration comes after their planned protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence in Gupkar was stopped by authorities. The aspirants said they were detained earlier but re-grouped in Lal Chowk to highlight their long-pending demands.
The protestors expressed deep disappointment with the administration, alleging that despite a detailed inquiry conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), no action has been taken against the accused officials or beneficiaries involved in the alleged scam.
“We have been fighting for justice for the past 12 years. The ACB has already investigated the matter, but the file continues to gather dust. No one has been held accountable so far,” said one of the protestors.
The aspirants alleged that the case file reportedly contains names of at least 109 candidates allegedly selected through unfair means. “Despite such concrete evidence, authorities have failed to initiate any concrete action,” another aspirant added.
The protestors said they have repeatedly approached both the Lieutenant Governor-led administration and the newly formed National Conference-led government, but their pleas continue to go unheard.
“Now that the National Conference is in power, we appeal to the new Chief Minister to take the matter seriously and ensure those responsible are brought to justice. We also request LG Manoj Sinha to intervene immediately,” they said.
Additionally, the aspirants warned that they would intensify their protests in the coming days if the government does not act on their demands. (KNO)