Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Feb 13: Lauding the immense contribution of West Pakistan refugees towards nation-building during the past seven and half decades, Pradesh BJP vice president and former Minister, Surjeet Singh Slathia today said their welfare and equal partnership in resources and decision-making has been top on the agenda of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
“Abrogation of Article 370 paved the way for their empowerment as proud citizens of this great nation and removed all the obstacles that denied them the rights as bonafide subjects of Jammu and Kashmir”, Slathia said while addressing a day-long conference, organized by the BJP Refugee Cell Vijaypur.
Slathia lamented that those of the refugees settled in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of horrendous partition in 1947 suffered perpetual neglect, denial and deprivation in terms voting rights, jobs etc due to the wrong policies of the Congress and their local lackeys here unlike others settled in the rest of the country, who prospered and made mark in all the fields.
He referred to the landmark legislation of repealing Article 370 in August 2019 and said this reflected the deep urge of the BJP in general and the Prime Minister in particular in undertaking course correction. He said the politically empowered refugees can now take equal part in the democratic process and contribute in decision making in a big way.
Referring to the problems being faced by the people living in the forward areas, Slathia said that every endeavour is being made to ensure their safety, security and wellbeing with an avowed objective of bringing them under the ambit of the overall developmental scenario as per the vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.
Responding to various issues flagged during the conference, Slathia said though a multi-pronged strategy is already under the process and implementation in terms of developmental projects and provision of the utility services, the issues raised by the representatives would be taken up with the concerned agencies for immediate and earnest disposal.
Present on the occasion included DDC Anita Choudhary, BDC Darshan Choudhary, Ashok Khajuria in charge Refugee Cell BJP, Rakesh Mahajan in charge All Cell BJP, Vijay Singh vice president BJP Samba and others.
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