Will not allow NC to run ‘Kashmir-centric agenda’ in Jammu: BJP MLA

Jammu, Nov 21: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and MLA Bahu, Vikram Randhawa on Thursday accused the National Conference of attempting to push a pro-Kashmir agenda which he believes undermines the rights of the youth in the Jammu region.
Randhawa’s remarks came after he joined a protest organised by aspirants for the 10+2 Lecturer positions, who were outraged by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission’s (J&K PSC) recent recruitment notice dated November 12, 2024, that completely ignored Hindi and Sanskrit language posts, the MLA’s office said in a statement issued here.
In this regard, a massive protest, held outside the Press Club of Jammu, saw hundreds of aspirants—many of whom have been waiting for years for such opportunities—condemning the “discriminatory” practices of the J&K PSC, the statement said. “The aspirants voiced their frustration at the omission of Hindi and Sanskrit lecturers from the recruitment notice, despite the advertisement of 575 other teaching positions.”
The J&K PSC, in its notice dated November 12, had failed to advertise any posts for Hindi and Sanskrit lecturers, critical subjects in the educational system of the Jammu region, Randhawa said.
Expressing his support for the protestors, he vowed to continue their “fight for justice” until the J&K PSC addresses their concerns and “rectifies the blatant discrimination” in the recruitment process.
The MLA said, “The NC government has barely resumed power and has already begun pushing its Kashmir-centric policies, sidelining the legitimate aspirations of Jammu’s youth. This is unacceptable, and we will not stand for it.”
He criticised the J&K PSC for its decision to advertise four posts for Persian, while omitting any positions for Hindi, despite it being the national language. “Hindi is our national language, and to discriminate against it while giving preference to Persian is an affront to every citizen of Jammu. This is not only a betrayal of our cultural heritage but a direct attack on our identity as Indians,” he added.
The senior BJP leader further pointed out the disparity in the recruitment process, saying, “We are living in Hindustan, not in an Arabic country, yet posts for Persian and Arabic are being prioritised, while Hindi, a language spoken by millions, is ignored. This imbalance cannot be tolerated.”
Randhawa called for an immediate rollback of the J&K PSC’s recruitment notice and demanded the inclusion of Hindi and Sanskrit lecturers. He urged the Commission to add 200 posts for Hindi and at least 20 posts each for Dogri, Punjabi and Sanskrit. This, he said, will ensure fair representation of the diverse linguistic needs of the Jammu region.
“We will not allow the NC government to continue its biased policies that marginalise the youth of Jammu. The youth here deserve equal opportunities, and we will fight relentlessly until our demands are met,” he added.