Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 24: West Pakistani refugees today took out protest rally from Bikram Chowk to Maharaja Hari Singh Park to project their long pending demands.
Large number of West Pakistani refugees assembled at Bikram Chowk and started marching towards Maharaja Hari Singh Park in the shape of rally.
The rally passed through Tawi Bridge and Dogra Chowk and later culminated at Hari Singh Park, where leaders of West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee addressed the gathering. Meanwhile, a rally was also organized from Canal Road, which also culminated at Maharaja Hari Singh Park.
During the rallies from Bikram Chowk and Canal Road towards Maharaja Hari Singh Park, the vehicular movement came to standstill for couple of hours also.
Addressing the gathering, President, West Pakistani Refugees Action Committee, Labha Ram Gandhi appealed to all the political parties in the State to remove all the legal disparities which caused great difficulties to the West Pakistani refugees and consider one time settlement as proposed by the Government of India.
Giving warning to start strong agitation in the State, Labha Ram appealed to the Government to redress their grievances by issuance of an order as the Government is all competent to do it.
He also asked BJP not to play politics with their genuine demands while forming the Government and Common Minimum Programme and should come true to the promise. He said the PDP has also assured indication to settle their issue as a humanitarian problem.
“Since 1947 we are not considered as State Subject of the J&K State, thus depriving us of all fundamental constitution, legal and statutory rights in the State,” he said adding that even Supreme Court of India in the year 1987 has observed that J&K legislature has to take action to amend the law. But after lapse of more than 27 years, no steps have been taken by the successive Governments in the State”, he alleged.
He informed that Prime Minister had announced a special rehabilitation package including special recruitment for West Pakistani children but nothing has been done since 2008 by the State Governments, he added.
Among others, who spoke were Chhajju Singh Manhas, State general secretary, Joginder Pal, Lal Singh, Mohan Lal, Darshan Lal, Raspal Chand, Mulkh Raj, Bahadur Lal, Bahadur Mal, Sukhdev Manhas.
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