Recently Khadi and Village Development Board (KVIB) announced recruitment of some posts and surprisingly the name of son of People’s Democratic Party vice president, Sartaj Madni figured in the list.
Aroot Madni as per the notification was appointed as the Executive Officer in the department. This is a gazetted post and according to candidates who had applied for the post termed the appointment as the brazen violation of the rules. Madni is the senior most leader of the PDP and holds sway in the ruling party as he is maternal uncle of JK chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti.
The appointment of Madni on the top posts raised many an eyebrows not only with the PDP, even some cabinet ministers are said to be against these appointments, but it also generated resentment among the common people especially the youths who are already fed up with the system and blame politicians and bureaucrats for giving preference to blue eyed candidates instead of meritorious candidates. The resentment among the young educated youth many a times leaves them alienated with the system and government. Under pressure from the various quarters especially the social media, the J-K government on the instructions of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had ordered probe by the chief secretary to look into the issue.
Hours after the probe was ordered, Atroot Madni declined to accept the job and is said to be have conveyed to government that he doesn’t want any job now. However whether junior Madani will accept or decline the job damage has been done to the PDP and the credibility of chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti who had been always saying that merit will be preferred. Unfortunately since PDP-BJP government came to power many blue eyed persons have managed to get plum posts at the cost of merit which has already left many meritorious youths dejected with the system.
It is not only PDP which did this blunder, even NC Congress government committed same mistakes when they ruled the state. This time all eyes were on the Mufti family who in the days of opposition have been making tall claims about the credibility once the party will come to power. However the party has now failed to keep its commitment vis-a-vis corruption free government.
This is not the only case were meritorious youths were shown door and blue eyed boys were accommodated. In the past three years there have been many appointments in the Jammu and Kashmir bank and it is said that relatives and workers of PDP were given preference and meritorious candidates were dropped. The PDP -BJP government has still three years left and people are keeping watch on its activities so by these selections the ruling party will lose its credibility. Once credibility is lost everything is lost, especially in a state where already large number of people feels dejected and alienated with the system.
Nobody is against that sons of politicians should not be given jobs and they too have every right, and however there should be jobs on merit not through backdoor appointments. For the sake of credibility of government, Sartaj Madni’s son has declined job, but government to save its credibility should pinpoint all such officers and heads of departments who have been appointed on the recommendations of politicians. If government is serious to restore its credibility then process should begin as early as possible otherwise they will have to pay high price and there will be trust deficit among the masses.
