Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 2: A one day seminar on the topic “Contextualizing the real issues of PoJK DPs in the emerging socio-political scenario” was jointly organized by PoJK Pahari Speaking DPs Forum, Sharnarthi Action Committee, SoS International and MJR47 at RS Pura today.
More than 150 individuals participated in the seminar. The seminar was conducted in two sessions. In the first session, the representatives namely from various organizations fighting for issues of the PoJK DPs spoke on the topic. The first session was chaired by TR Shastri, retired JKAS officer and the representatives of various DPs organizations expressed their views on the issue.
Rajeev Chuni, president SoS International while speaking on the topic ‘Unsettled Resettlement of PoJK DPs’ highlighted the unsettled status of land, compensation, political reservation for DPs, quota in admission to various technical and professional institutions of Higher Educations. Suchwant Singh, chief spokesperson, MJR47 spoke on ‘Political apathy and Question of Political Representation for PoJK DPs’ and highlighted the Political neglect of the genuine issues of PoJK DPs and how the issues can be properly represented. He emphasized that these issues can only be resolved by de-freezing and reserving one-third seats in the J&K Legislative Assembly for PoJK DPs.
Antar Nirav, Pahari poet and writer expressed his views on Politics of Exclusion over Pahari Identity and explained that PoJK DPs are original Pahari people and how they have been systematically marginalized by the larger movement for Pahari identity. He emphasized ethnically PoJK DPs are Pahari and deserve the 4% Reservation under Pahari Speaking People category.
Gurdev Singh, president Sharnarthi Action Committee shared his views on Unsettled Issues of PoJK DPs Challenges and Way Forward and threw light on how the committee has spearheaded the movement for the rights of the PoJK DPs since 1947. He emphasized that the PoJK DPs need a credible redressal of their long unresolved real issues rather than hollow slogans and the leadership needs to genuinely focus on the resolution of PoJK DPs here rather than projection of taking back the territory of PoJK as the ultimate solution.
Speaking in the second session spokesperson of Congress party, Ravinder Sharma urged to members of all political parties to rise above party politics to achieve the genuine issues of PoJK DPs. He also declared that PoJK DPs are the original Paharis and 4% PSP reservation is their due right.
Ashok Khajuria convener BJP Refugee Cell ensured that his party is committed for the cause of DPs of PoJK. He also informed that his party has smoothly dispersed the compensation amount of Rs 5.5 lakh to families of PoJK DPs.
Whereas convener of AAP Om Parkash Khajuria asserted the long neglect of PoJK DPs and urged all DPs to adopt a political line which can claim the due rights of the community.
All the participants collectively adopted four resolutions that the government should defreeze 1/3 seats for PoJK DPs in the legislative assembly of J&K, to implement the package as recommended by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on Home Affairs of 2014 in full, to include the leftover families of PoJK in the said package and 4% PSP reservation should be immediately given to the PoJK DPs.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
