Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, May 26: SOS International- an organization for PoK Refugees has said that report of Interlocutors for Jammu and Kashmir headed by Dileep Padgaonkar has rightly vindicated the stand of PoK refugees that they are being discriminated by successive Governments.
Addressing a press conference here today, chairman of the organization, Rajiv Chuni said that Interlocutors observation, “PoK refugees entitlements are nowhere on par with Kashmiri Pandits…”, is a slap on the face of the NC-Cong Coalition Government which has been denying the PoK refugees their due despite the fact that PoK refugees are as good as citizens and State Subjects as Valley migrants are.
Strongly criticizing State Government for its indifferent approach towards PoK refugees, Mr Chuni said that Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Raman Bhalla should own the moral responsibility and resign as Minister. “The Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation has been acting as Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation for Kashmiris only and not the refugees from other parts of the State.
Mr Chuni said though S O S International is not having much hopes from the report of Interlocutors as it is only recommendatory in nature and not binding on the Government, yet it has reinforced the PoK refugees’ resolve for a dignified settlement of their demands as already recommended by J&K High Court and Wadhwa Committee.
He claimed that S O S International would launch a nationwide campaign to expose this most ineffective, insensitive and incompetent Government through media, poster, pamphlet campaign besides holding rallies, dharnas etc highlighting the comparative study on the discrimination against PoK refugees as compared to Valley migrants. Chuni said.
BJP also needs to rethink on its stand on J&K as people consider it also as a Valley centric party than pro-nationalist, pro-refugees. BJP should have given priority to the Jammu refugees than Kashmiris but its out right rejection of the Interlocutors report indicates that policy planners in the party are not cohesive in thinking.
The SOS International demanded that PoK refugees be given all the facilities including monthly cash doles, ration money, Satellite towns for 39 camp inmates of PoK refugees, employment package, reservation in professional institutions, interest- free loans to over aged unemployed youths, cash compensation in lieu of the properties left behind in PoK, exemption from Income Tax etc.
Dr Gurmeet Singh, Suchwant Singh, J S Mangal, R C Sharma and Roshan Lal were also present.
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