Srinagar, 15 July (H.S.): Aspirants of the Fire and Emergency Services today staged a protest, questioning the delay by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in investigating the alleged recruitment scam.
Several aspirants gathered at the Press Enclave, raising slogans against the Government for failing to deliver justice and making the candidates suffer.
“It was a major scam and the ACB has been probing it for several months, but so far, it has failed to unearth the truth or identify those involved,” said Sameer Ahmad Rather, an aspirant from Ganderbal.
Apart from alleging delays in the investigation, the aspirants also raised concerns over the Home Department referring 700 posts to the recruitment agency, even though the previous recruitment process is under scrutiny.
“We have a right to these posts. When the previous recruitment is being questioned, how can they refer to new posts and leave us in limbo? Is this a way to hide their failures?” asked one of the protestors.
The aspirants said they are even ready to assist the ACB in order to speed up the investigation.
“The paper leak, which is part of the larger scam, has not been addressed either. If the administration claims FIRs have been filed, why aren’t the details being made public?” they questioned.
Another aspirant, Zahoor Ahmad, pointed out that the committee formed to investigate the irregularities submitted its report after three long years, but no action followed.
“After the report, the case was handed over to the ACB. We were told that FIRs have been registered against over 100 individuals, but we ask – who are they? Why haven’t the names been made public?” he said.
The aspirants urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure that the ACB carries out the investigation on a fast-track basis.
“We have already lost 12 years of our careers. This is a shame for the administration. Those who have crossed the age limit are being denied justice. Today, we are not even being allowed to stand here and register our protest – but we will not be silenced,” they said.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar
