Poor journalism! Cheap and religion-based politics by some media forces over the recent JKAS interview list has surprised one and all; Merit is supreme; officers have no religion

Poor journalism! Cheap and religion-based politics by some media forces over the recent JKAS interview list has surprised one and all; Merit is supreme; officers have no religion

SALIL RAINA

(POONCH TODAY NEWS)

POONCH: A strange and threatening debate was started by some pro-Kashmir forces on social media over the recent interview list of JKAS officers without understanding the issue in detail, wherein it was alleged that a huge number of non-Muslims (253 out of 345 candidates) had cracked the exam, but the reality was the said list was for an interview and not a final selection list.

Earlier, 90 posts were advertised by PSC, for which 19,659 candidates appeared in the preliminary exam, and 2,768 candidates qualified for the mains. After the main exam, 345 candidates, in addition to six more candidates on the direction of the court, were called for an interview, but a few renowned media houses of J&K misunderstood the issue and thought that 345 candidates were selected by PSC, in which non-Muslims got a huge share. Such a poor level of journalism by some renowned faces in J&K has exposed them badly in front of the public as far as their cheap religion-based mindset was concerned. The same lobby targeted the PSC by saying that it was under an influence from the top and that’s why huge injustice was done to the Kashmiris. Branding officers as Hindus and Muslims by some pro-Kashmiri forces is a dangerous trend in the making for which an all-out effort is needed from the government to address this issue at the earliest because these forces are hell-bent on flouting a dangerous narrative to divide the society. It is pertinent to mention here that the same institution of PSC remained under a big question mark for several decades as the people of Jammu levelled serious allegations of a partiality approach against the Jammu-based candidates in JKAS exams under political and money influence, but the Jammu-based people never criticised the PSC by relating the issue to a religion, despite the fact that a large number of undeserving people were also selected into JKAS and other gazetted posts on the basis of political and money influence, and there are hundreds of examples of this, as all this happened during the tenure of Kashmir-based political parties. “POONCH TODAY” is in possession of some proofs which show that many pro-Pakistan-mindset people were also selected as JKAS officers over the years. It’s a hardcore fact that in a large number of various posts of JKAS and other prestigious exams, the Kashmir region enjoyed a lot for several decades, but the non-majority community of J&K never levelled such a cheap allegation of religious bias against the PSC. But this is the first time that such cheap tactics have been launched from some renowned media figures because, for the first time, the candidates from the Jammu region have got a huge number of seats in the JKAS exam. Cheap-minded people have forgotten the fact that officers have no religion and there are no reserved seats for any religion; only those who prove their mettle in the exam are legally and morally bound to become officers. Then from where does the role of religion come? What is the use of mentioning the fact that J&K is a Muslim-majority state? Is this an indirect threat to the recruitment agencies and non-majority people? Some self-styled journalists have initiated this debate to divide the society on religious lines, and it’s a dangerous trend in the making. It completely shows that the Kashmir-based forces cannot digest the fact that the Jammu region has got so many selections in the JKAS. Should posts be reserved on the basis of religion? These pro-Kashmir forces, which enjoyed power for more than seven decades, must answer this. Why are they so shattered internally by the fact that the second majority have got more seats than the first majority? It’s not a question of any religion, but merit matters only. Then who floated this idea of targeting PSC with this cheap gimmick? A well-known journalist, unfortunately, in his broadcast said that J&K is a Muslim-majority state and asked what would happen if non-Muslims continued to get more postings. So such a debate shows the hidden intentions of pro-Kashmir forces. In front of merit, religion stands nowhere, and the prestigious institutions like the PSC always select meritorious candidates. Although PSC and SSB remained under the clutches of Kashmir-based political powers, a huge injustice was done to the people of the Jammu region in more than 70% of selections for various posts, including the JKAS, as the Kashmir region had enjoyed a lot for decades, thanks to their political masters who were in power. The people of the Jammu region never brought religion into the issue of partiality in selections, but this is the first time that such an act of cheap mentality on the part of some pro-Kashmir-based journalists has come into the public domain, and it shows that there is a huge threat to peace in J&K from the radical forces, and it’s a dangerous trend in the making.