Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 1: The ‘selective’ approach of the Government in rehabilitation of the border migrants at safer places today triggered protests and sloganeering in the Legislative Assembly from the Opposition MLAs, who even staged walk-out over the issue.
The protest from the Opposition MLAs started when Minister of State for Home, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo while replying to the question of Jammu State Morcha Member, Ashwani Sharma said that there was no policy or proposal to provide shelter at safer places to the people living in the Pakistan shelling range on permanent basis.
“It is unfortunate that the Government is saying that it has no proposal despite the fact that border migrants of Akhnoor tehsil have been given plots of land at safer places as a matter of policy to rehabilitate border people dislocated due to shelling and Pakistan firing along the border line”, Ashwani Sharma said, adding “the Central package has been confined to one particular tehsil for obvious reason. Moreover, today’s reply is contrary to the earlier assurance that five marlas of plot would be given to each shelling affected family at safer places”.
He was supported by the members of BJP’s breakaway group and National Panthers Party, who demanded that Government should rehabilitate border dwellers at safer places away from the Pakistan firing ranges. All the Opposition MLAs then started protest and sought to know as to why selective approach was being adopted towards the border migrants.
On this, Kitchloo said, “as and when such incidents take place people living in Pak shelling range are temporarily shifted to the nearest safer places and provided shelter in available Government buildings and private houses till restoration of normalcy and return to their native places”, adding “even assistance in the shape of free ration is also being provided in such circumstances”.
Unsatisfied with the reply, members of the Opposition left their seats in protest and resorted to sloganeering—-“Border Ke Logon Ke Saath Bhedbav Band Karo”. Amidst slogans all the Opposition MLAs started walk-out.
Talking to media-persons outside the House, Ashwani Sharma said, “the Government has failed to fulfill its commitment to the border people living close to International Border that they will be rehabilitated by providing plots of 5 marlas of land at safer places”, adding “they should be rehabilitated permanently in safer places so that they will have not to face migration on account of Pak shelling and firing in their border hamlets”,
“Pakistan has been creating terror by resorting to ceasefire violation and border villagers always live under the fear psychosis — people have been killed, injured and got handicapped due to firing and shelling from across the border — no compensation has been given to them”, JSM member said, adding “even no compensation has been given to them for their lands which came under the border fencing.
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