Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 16: As a show of strength thousands of West Pak refugees who have been deprived of the citizenship rights and PRCs by the successive State Governments for last 65 years took to streets today and warned to intensify the agitation in case their demands were not settled by February 2014.
Led by president of the West Pak refugees Laba Ram Gandhi the protestors took the State and Central Governments to task for their callousness towards these hapless people who have been running from pillar to post since partition for justice.
The agitated refugees including a sizable number of women warned to launch a decisive battle for their honour and rights which were usurped by the Government.
The rallies of refugees came from three different routes and assembled at Maharaja Hari Singh Park on Tawi bank where a huge rally was held. The refugees from Akhnoor and surrounding areas after reaching Rajinder Park took out a procession to Maharaja Hari Singh Park via Jewel Chowk. The refugees from RS Pura and Bishnah assembled at Bikram Chowk and took out a procession from there to Maharaja Hari Singh Park while the refugees from Samba and Kathua districts came via Narwal and took out a procession from University to Maharaja Hari Singh Park.
The movement of vehicular traffic was disrupted in city for hours together and people faced a tough time in reaching their destinations.
Addressing the rally, Mr Gandhi reiterated to teach the politicians a lesson who have harmed the cause of West Pak refugees during last 65 years by fielding a refugee candidate for Jammu Poonch -Lok Saba seat in the coming Parliamentary elections.
He said the refugees have a decisive 1.5 lakh vote in this Parliamentary Constituency and this time they will utilize it for their advantage. He alleged that the successive State Governments deliberately deprived the West Pak refugees of the citizenship rights and there is no where the example of such an injustice in the world to which the West Pak refugees have been subjected in J&K.
Gandhi, while strongly advocating for grant of citizenship rights to West Pak refugees and issuance of PRCs in their favour also demanded one time compensation for their left over properties in Pakistan be given to them.
He said if I K Gujral, Dr Manmohan Singh who too were the West Pak refugees could become the Prime Ministers of India and L K Advani also a West Pak refugee could become the Deputy Prime Minister what was the fault of over 1.5 lakh West Pak refugees putting up in J&K who have been even denied the right to vote.
The rally among others was addressed by Dr R P Singh from Delhi, tehsil presidents, Lal Singh, Rashpal Chand, Mohan Lal, Surinder Lal, Mangal Dass, Joginder Kumar and Darshan Lal. Besides, it was addressed by vice president Sukh Dev Singh Manhas, vice president of the refugees, Preetam Sharma, general secretary Kranti Dal and Sushil Gupta organizer KD.
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