SRINAGAR — Senior CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami Thursday said the Centre should rethink its policy of denying government jobs to the families of militants and stone-pelters in Jammu and Kashmir as it could be “counterproductive”.
“This is not something unexpected. The government has been on this path, and this has been their policy across the country that if someone commits an offense, someone else bears the brunt,” Tarigami told PTI Videos here.
The former MLA said Jammu and Kashmir has been a target of the central government.
“As far as our Constitution and law is concerned, where does it say that if someone commits an offense, someone else will be punished? Does it mean their relatives will also be pushed on the same wrong path? Or is there a need to embrace them and bring them closer?” he asked.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said on Sunday that family members of militants and stone-pelters would be denied government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir.
“In Kashmir, we have taken a decision that if someone joins a militant organisation, their family members will not get any government job,” Shah told PTI in an interview, adding that this would also apply to those who throw stones at security forces during protests.
Condemning the statement, the CPI(M) leader said the government should rethink the policy.
“I fear its results will be counterproductive and will hamper the process of establishing peace. It should not happen,” he added.
He said such a move would be an injustice to the people who did not commit any offense. — (PTI)