Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 6: SOS International, an organization for PoK displaced persons today staged a mass dharna protest in favour of their demands near Tawi bridge in Jammu.
A large number of PoK displaced persons attended the protest dharna and reprimanded the Government for adopting indifferent attitude in providing absolute justice they deserve and the process of delivering ex-gratia relief of Rs 2000 crore out of Rs 80,000 crore Prime Minister’s Development Fund. They also condemned political parties who have been keeping deaf ear to the plights of PoK DPs for the last 7 decades. PoK DPs were furious against Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh over giving nod to non-PoK DPs to visit shrines in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) even after knowing the fact behind it.
While addressing the protesters, SOS International chairman, Rajiv Chuni said that this protest was staged for one day as an ultimatum and PoK DPs will be left with no option but to stage indefinite dharna in case Government fails to fulfill their legitimate demands for which they have been struggling since 1947. He further said that Government will be wholly solely responsible for this pandemonium.
“On November 7, 2015 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2000 crore package for PoK DPs and now, even the lapse of more than two and half years, only 1/6th PoK DPs have been covered under ex-gratia relief amount. Till March 31, 2018 just Rs 500 crore out of Rs 2000 crore have been utilized from the allocated fund. If disbursing of relief amount moves in such snail’s pace, then it will take 10 more years to complete the 1st installment and that is pathetic on part of Government”, he added.
Chuni stated that other components of package passed by State Cabinet including Rs 25 lakh per family, reservation to the wards of PoK refugees in professional and technical colleges across the country, employment package for the unemployed youth in Government jobs and many more have been excluded which has been irking the most penniless community at its peak. Scores of memoranda were submitted to State and Central Governments but they have not even taken the trouble to reply.
He further stated that other ingredients of the package must be given final shape that include reservation to wards of PoK DPs in professional and technical colleges across the country, employment package for unemployed youth in Government jobs and others.
VK Datta, Prof J S Mangal, Prof N N Sharma, Jagdish Bhatti, Ram Singh, Gurmit Singh Isher, Harbans Sabharwal also spoke on the occasion.
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