J&K govt revokes Dogra certificate order

Acting on the Centre's directive to extend the relaxation for recruitment in paramilitary forces to all permanent residents of the state, the Jammu and Kashmir government today revoked the controversial order on issuance of the Dogra certificate.

"In view of the amendment circulated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, relaxation in physical standards of height and chest measurement has been extended to all the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir," an order passed by the state's revenue department said, adding, certain portions of the earlier order stood superseded.

In its January order, the MHA had announced relaxation for residents from Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh regions under the geographical criteria while extending 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 the Dogra certificates, a move which prompted angry reaction from separatists and some political parties alleging this was a clear attempt to divide the state on communal lines.

However, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had asked the Centre to amend its order and extend the relaxation to the people from Jammu and Kashmir rather than putting them under different categories of geographical terrains and ethnic categories.

Hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had said, "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."

He claimed that Jammu and Kashmir was not any other states such as 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," Geelani had alleged.