Geelani’s protest plans get setback as Dogra issue resolved

“The Chief Minister impressed upon the Central leadership the need to modify the order which provides relaxation to certain communities including Dogras in rules for recruitment to paramilitary forces,” highly placed government sources said.

The Dogra certificate issue,which was being used by some elements in the state to vitiate the atmosphere,ended Friday with the Union Home Ministry amending its earlier order and announcing relaxation to all permanent residents of the state.

According to the earlier notification of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),residents of Kashmir,Ladakh and members of the Dogra community were eligible for relaxation in minimum standards of height and chest width required for recruitment in paramilitary forces.

Omar argued with the Central leaders that while Kashmir and Ladakh were described as geographical regions,the people of Jammu were granted the same relaxation but identified as a community,which was creating confusion in certain quarters,the sources said.

They said the Chief Minister expressed apprehensions that some separatist groups might take advantage of the confusion to create trouble in the Valley,which has suffered immense losses over the past three summers due to turmoil.

In its January order,the MHA had announced relaxation for residents from Kashmir,Leh and Ladakh regions under the geographical criteria while extended the same relaxation for the Dogra people under the ethnic tribe community.

Taking a cue from this order,state revenue minister Raman Bhalla had directed the tehsildars and deputy commissioners of Jammu to issue ‘Dogra certificates’,a move which prompted angry reaction from separatists and some political parties alleging that this was a clear attempt to divide the state on communal lines.

Following the amended notification from MHA,the order issued by Bhalla for issuing Dogra Certificates will be rescinded,the sources said.

The issue seems to have been resolved but Geelani insists that the state government issue formal orders to revoke the earlier order of the revenue minister.

“The Dogra certificate order has to be revoked. The Permanent Resident Certificate issued to people of Jammu and Kashmir should be enough for extending any concessions in recruitment,” Geelani said.

He claimed that Jammu and Kashmir was not any other state like Nagaland,Himachal or Arunachal Pradesh as mentioned on the website of the Home Ministry.

“This is a disputed territory but India has been making attempts from time to time to bring it at par with its other states,” he added.