In 1996, Jammu and Kashmir stood on the precipice of a fragile democratic revival after seven years of bloody turmoil. The region, scarred by militancy, was gearing up for elections—a process militants threatened to derail by targeting candidates and intimidating locals. The Election Commission, backed by heavy deployments of CRPF and military forces, faced a daunting challenge: who from the local community would dare to staff the election booths? Fear had gripped the region—neither the police nor civilians were willing to risk their lives. In a desperate bid to ensure participation, policymakers devised a scheme: daily wagers who joined the election process would be regularized in government departments. This promise of stability lured many, particularly from the Rural Development Department, into a dangerous gamble.
These daily wagers, often from impoverished backgrounds, stepped into the fray despite threats of social boycott, abuse, and violence. They were driven by the hope of a secure future, a government job that could lift their families out of poverty. Yet, what followed was not the promised redemption but a saga of exploitation, deceit, and betrayal that continues to haunt thousands of lives in Jammu and Kashmir even today.
Take the story of Ghulam Qadir Wani from Shamsipora, Mattan. In 1997, Wani sold a kanal of land for Rs. 35,000—a plot that would be worth Rs. 1 crore today—to pay a dalal who promised him a government job. “I made my kids’ lives miserable with that decision,” Wani laments, his voice heavy with regret. For years, he clung to the false hope of regularization, fed by the dalal’s assurances that his job was just a day away. By 2014, the dream had evaporated, leaving Wani with nothing but a lifetime of waiting and loss. “My loss is double—one, the land, and another, my whole life waiting for a government job that never came,” he says. Wani claims over 1,000 others in his region share his fate, their dreams exploited by dalals who are now influential political figures in parties like the JKNC, PDP, and BJP.
The 1996 elections did see some daily wagers regularized, but the process was marred by corruption. A section of dalals, often in collusion with corrupt officers, began producing fake certificates and lists, complete with forged signatures and seals. They preyed on unemployed youth, collecting hefty sums with promises of jobs in various departments, particularly the Rural Development Department. The scale of this exploitation is staggering. Many sold ancestral lands, took loans, or drained their savings, only to be left with nothing but broken promises.
One such exploiter was a middleman-turned-political leader from South Kashmir, who once unsuccessfully contested elections on a PDP ticket. He collected money from more than 1,200 unemployed youth—many of whom were his ready party workers in his constituency. When his bosses instructed him to organize political rallies, he mobilized these daily wagers, managing successful events while exploiting their desperation. There are many like him who have built political careers and amassed properties on the backs of these betrayed hopes, leaving their victims to languish in poverty.
Bilqees, an 18-year-old from a neighboring village, became another victim of this systemic betrayal. Her father arranged her engagement to a poor family, a decision that puzzled her community until she revealed the reason: the groom’s family had paid Rs. 2 lakh to a dalal for a government job. “They will soon be government employees,” Bilqees had said with naive optimism. Decades later, the man remains unemployed, the money lost, and Bilqees’ life shaped by a decision rooted in deceit.
The daily wagers who did participate in the 1996 elections faced their own struggles. Despite risking their lives, many were later disengaged due to a lack of clear documentation, leaving them at the mercy of successive governments. Over the years, ruling parties in Jammu and Kashmir have continued to exploit the desperation of the unemployed. Hundreds were engaged as daily wagers, casual laborers, or even unpaid workers across departments, often as a political tool to garner votes or appease constituencies.
Recent developments highlight the ongoing plight of these workers. On March 10, 2025, a post on X by @GreaterKashmir reported that the Supreme Court had slammed the Jammu and Kashmir government for ignoring a 16-year-old court order on the regularization of daily wagers. The following day, @local_kashmir shared that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced the formation of a committee to address the issue, promising a roadmap in the next budget session. Yet, for many, these announcements ring hollow, echoing decades of unfulfilled promises.
The scale of the daily-wager issue is a humanitarian crisis. Unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir remains a pressing concern, with an estimated 600,000 people out of work in a region of 12.5 million, according to a 2011 census cited by Eco-Business in 2024. The unemployment rate stands at 18.3%, nearly double India’s national average of 9.2%. Successive governments have failed to address this crisis, instead leveraging it for political gain. The Rural Development Department, in particular, has been a hotspot for corruption, with fake appointments and fraudulent lists becoming a grim norm.
Consider the case of a man I met recently, a friend older than me, who claimed to be on a daily-wager list in the Forest Department. He revealed that a retired DFO-turned-political leader had added him to the list—yet he has never received a salary or performed any duties. Such cases underscore the need for thorough investigations into these lists. Without proper scrutiny, genuine workers risk being disengaged, while those with political connections reap the benefits.
The daily-wager issue in Jammu and Kashmir is not just about jobs—it’s about dignity, trust, and the systemic exploitation of the vulnerable. For decades, politicians and dalals have preyed on the hopes of the unemployed, turning their desperation into a currency for power and profit. The government must act decisively with transparent investigations and concrete action. Regularization lists must be audited, corrupt officials and political leaders held accountable, and the voices of victims like Wani and Bilqees amplified. Until then, the exploited lot of Jammu and Kashmir will continue to wait, their dreams deferred by a system that thrives on their suffering.
