No non migrant leader can take decision on return: Chatta

Excelsior Correspondent

H L Chatta talking to reporters at Jammu on Friday. -Excelsior/Rakesh

JAMMU, Sept 27: All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) today said that no non migrant Kashmiri Pandit leader can take a decision on the return of the displaced people from the Valley.
Talking to reporters here, today, president, ASKPC H L Chatta warned the Government against roping in some non migrant leaders in finalizing the return formula.
Mr Chatta said that no return formula except a separate homeland for seven lakh Kashmiri Pandits with UT status and free flow of Indian Constitution can only fulfill the aspirations of over seven lakh displaced Pandits putting up in different parts of country and abroad.
He said there is unanimity on homeland demand among KPs in view of the prevailing situation in the State which is grappling with terrorism for over last quarter century.
He also demanded disbanding of Apex Committee which he termed has lost its relevance as the Committee was a puppet in the hands of the Government. “We demand that the Apex Committee be disbanded which has representation from NC and Congress only”. In case Government is interested in settling the migrants problems the Committee should be made broad based by giving representation to one member from every KP organizations in it, he added.
Chatta, while referring to meeting of various KP factions with Home Ministry at New Delhi said that no return formula was discussed with them and may be any leader might have raised the issue at his individual level which is not acceptable to the community as no non migrant KP leader can decide the fate of displaced people by making them a canon fodder of terrorists.
He said the issues discussed in the meeting with Home Ministry were grant of internally displaced status, payment of Rs 25 lakh as relief to over aged youth, enhancement of cash relief to Rs 10,000 per family, transfer of female teachers from Valley, three percent reservations in medical colleges to KP students, reservations in Central services to KP youth, passage of shrines and temples Bill and removal of encroachments.
R K Raina senior vice president ASKPC, S K Bhat its national spokesperson and Veena Gurtoo, president of its Women Wing were also present in the press conference. They expressed concern over delay in implementation of PM’s employment package, passage of shrines and temples Bill and grant of minority status to KPs.