Kupwara: We had issued a press statement on 24/10/22 regarding a false narrative being propagated in media by former director JSS, Kupwara, Iqbal Najar. We had urged all concerned persons not to be wrongly swayed by the false narrative Mr. Najar is trying to propagate in order to create a defense for his reprehensible actions as Director of JSS Kupwara.
Unfortunately, various media portals/ facebook pages have continued to give space to the falsehood.
Mohammad Iqbal Najar is misusing his liberty on bail to use the media to spread falsehoods about the work of JSS and to influence and mislead the witnesses and interfere in the proceedings of the case.
The case pertaining to FIR No 177/2022 offenses u/s 409, 420, 467, 468, 120-B IPC of P/S Kupwara is under investigation. In the instant FIR Mohammad Iqbal Najar, former director, JSS Kupwara was arrested.
Jan Shikshan Sansthan (Anhad) is a registered NGO. The affairs of Jan Shikshan Sansthan are managed by a Board of Management approved by the Government of India, the Chairperson is nominated by the parent organisation and approved by the ministry as per the guidelines. Board of Management has nominees of the District Collector, Manager of the Lead Bank, CEO, Superintendent of ITI among other official and non-official members.
The hon’ble High Court, J & K had given an order in May 2022 that he could continue in his job till his service contract lasts. JSS, which is registered as an NGO, according to the guidelines issued by the GOI, appoints the staff on contractual basis for one year only. None of the employees is permanent and they are employees of JSS and not of the ministry.
The Board of Management, JSS (Anhad) Kupwara passed a resolution on 20/7/2022 and sent a closure of service letter to Iqbal Najar through speed post & email as his contract was over.
During the past 14 years hundreds of people have worked with JSS out of which 2 people were indeed relatives who were appointed through interview process on contractual basis only. One person was appointed in a collaborative project as a consultant on contractual basis. The campaign that 26-28 relatives have been employed for ten years in JSS is highly malicious and aims to defame people of repute.
In September 2019, immediately after the abrogation of Article 370, there was a meeting held in Srinagar Civil Secretariat with Mr. R K Gupta, the then Secretary Skill Development with the State officials of skill development, education, and industries. JSS Jammu and JSS Kupwara were also invited for the meeting.
The Ministry of Skill Development was keen to conduct a career counselling pilot programme for Skill Saathi. However, none of the state government departments agreed to conduct this program under the circumstances. At that time, the situation was very tense and Section 144 had been imposed, internet and telephone services were suspended and transport was also disrupted. In those difficult circumstances, JSS Kupwara was the only organization that agreed and in October 2019, the program was conducted in Karnah with nearly 200 students who participated. The funds being mentioned by the former director were used for this program. It is very obvious that Iqbal Najar is twisting facts maliciously and is misleading the media and public and defaming Anhad, the parent organisation of JSS, Kupwara, which had no role to play in this program.
The case is under investigation, the charge sheet is yet to be filed. The use of media statements to further a false narrative and intimidate and influence witnesses is a subversion of rule of law and should not be permitted.
It is pertinent that Mr. Najar is presently under investigation for various criminal offences including mismanagement of JSS funds & forgery among other criminal offenses, which has indirectly caused a loss of opportunities for the local population in Kupwara, for whose benefit the JSS in Kupwara was established.
The work of JSS Kupwara with concerned stakeholders in the region is testament to the public interest which JSS Kupwara have always been guided by in their work and we will not allow misinformation to taint the legacy of the important work done over the years to promote livelihood skills in Kupwara.
We urge the media outlets to act responsibly.
Shabnam Hashmi
Managing Trustee
Anhad Parent Organisation, JSS, Kupwara
