Govt committed to swift, fair justice: LG Sinha

Srinagar, Dec 13: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday reiterated his commitment to delivering justice, jobs, and dignity to terror victim families.

Handing over appointment letters to 39 Next of Kin (NoKs) of terror victims from Kashmir Division at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar, LG Sinha said, “For these families, today the long wait for justice has ended, and with concrete steps for rehabilitation, we have restored their dignity and faith in the system.”

He said terrorism not only claimed lives but also shattered families and condemned innocent households into decades of silence, stigma, and poverty.

The LG said that after the abrogation of Article 370, the terror victim families had found new courage and self-confidence, and now they were speaking out against the terror ecosystem without fear.

“For generations, the system failed these victims by not giving their cases the priority they deserved. We are empowering victims' voices and ensuring they receive their due and the rights they deserve. We are also committed to swift and fair justice to perpetrators,” he said.

LG Sinha said that continuing the fight against terrorism was a task that society as a whole had to undertake.

“We must pledge to fight against the scourge with determination, patience and foil the efforts of our adversary,” he said. “For a long time, the system ignored the pain and trauma of these families. Real victims of terrorism and true martyrs were hounded by elements within the terror ecosystem. On one hand, the OGWs were appointed in government jobs, on the other, NoKs of terror victims were left to fend for themselves.”

The LG said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the policy on terrorism was unequivocal – zero tolerance to terrorism in all its forms.

“Every available resource and means will be used to make J&K terrorism-free, and those who are giving sanctuary, safe-haven or any other support to terrorists will have to pay a very heavy price,” he said.

LG Sinha said that behind every brutal killing by terrorists lies a story of a home that never recovered, of children who grew up without parents.

“Pakeeza Riyaz of Anantnag, whose father, Riyaz Ahmed Mir, was killed in 1999, and Shaista of Hyderpora, Srinagar, whose father, Abdul Rashid Ganai, was murdered in 2000, have both received government job letters, finally ending their long quest for justice and economic stability,” he said. “Ishtiyaq Ahmad, the son of BSF’s Altaf Hussain, who was killed in a terrorist encounter nearly 19 years ago, also secured a government job, bringing support to a family that has endured great hardship since his father’s sacrifice.”

The LG said that justice was finally granted to the family of Dilawar Ganie and his son, Fayaz Ganie of Qazigund, who were murdered on February 4, 2000.

He said that in a single day, Fayaz’s daughter Fozy had lost the two pillars of her life, two generations of support and guidance.

“The family home, which once echoed with warmth and laughter, suddenly turned into a place marked by silence, and they have lived in fear and grief for 25 years,” LG Sinha said. “Thirty years ago, Abdul Aziz Dar of Srinagar was murdered by terrorists. Today marked the end of his family’s prolonged search for justice.”

He said that the family members, whose loved ones were mercilessly killed by terrorists, narrated the horrifying incidents and the trauma they suffered for decades in silence.

On the occasion, appointment letters were also handed over to 39 beneficiaries under Compassionate Appointment Rules SRO-43 and Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme (RAS).

An official spokesman said that 156 family members of terror victims had been provided self-employment opportunities under various schemes, including Mission Yuva, Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP) and Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).

“Furthermore, 17 encroachments have been removed from the properties belonging to terror victim families, while 36 terror victim families have been identified for house reconstruction. More families will be identified and included as the process continues,” he said.  “The reconstruction work for the houses of the families whose homes were destroyed due to Pakistani shelling in Uri and Karnah will commence in April.”

Special DG Coordination PHQ, S J M Gillani; Principal Secretary Home, Chandraker Bharti; Commissioner Secretary, GAD, M Raju; Principal Secretary to LG, Mandeep Kumar Bhandari; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg; IGP Kashmir, Vidhi Kumar Birdi; Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Akshay Labroo; Chairman, Save Youth Save Future Foundation, Wajahat Farooq Bhat, and other members of the foundation, senior officials, members of various social organisations and family members of victims of terrorism were also present on the occasion.