Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 19: Refugees from Pak occupied Kashmir, now residing in various areas of Jammu and Samba districts, held massive protest demonstration at Mubarak Mandi and Panjtirthi Chowk and courted arrests here today.
A large number of members of the displaced families from Mirpur, Kotli, Muzaffrabad, Bhimber, Deva-Watala, Chhmab etc. led by Capt Yudhvir Singh, president PoK Refugees Front –1947, 65, 71 assembled at Mubarak Mandi complex in the morning at around 10.30 am today.
Under the banner of PoK Refugees Front, these members including a large number of women activists, carrying banners and placards and depicting their demands shouted slogans against the State and the Central Government. They were demanding early reddressal of their demands.
The Front leaders Capt Yudhvir Singh and Rashpal Singh Chib addressed the gathering and strongly criticized the respective governments in the State and the Centre for ignoring their demands. They said the refugees are staging dharnas and protests for the past many years but the Government has not bothered to address their long pending issues.
They pointed out that even five Working Groups were constituted by the Prime Minister of India and they submitted their report recommending comprehensive settlement of POK refugees and West Pakistani refugees but Government has yet to act on it. Revenue and Relief Minister, Raman Bhalla submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, recommending settlement and financial package for PoK refugees in March last year but again there is nothing on the ground so far.
A revised package for KPs was given green nod by the Congress- led Government at the Centre but unfortunately POK displaced persons were left high and dry. They said Wadhwa Committee report was never made public as it had also made strong recommendations in their favour during 2007. They alleged that Congress and National Conference have always betrayed them and they will teach a lesson to these parties in near future.
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