Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 22: The displaced persons (DPs) from Pak occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) today held protest rally at Hari Singh Park, near main Tawi bridge over the insufficient announcement of relief package by Prime Minister recently and demanded that pending demands of the DPs should also be included in the package.
A large number of displaced persons including women activists under the banner of PoJK DPs Front J&K-1947, 65 & 71 and Non Camp 1971 assembled at Hari Singh Park near Press Club and started rally. They were shouting slogans in support of their demands. They alleged that a package of Rs 2000 crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for one time settlement of the PoJK refugee families, is not sufficient. Even the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee were not taken into consideration.
Capt (Retd) Yudhvir Singh Chib, president of the Front, while addressing the gathering said that the Prime Minister announced a package of Rs 2000 crore for the PoJK refugees and Chhmab displaced persons but that amount is insufficient. The Governmet is not taking the issue of DPs seriously. Chib said that the DPs are hopeful that the Prime Minister would issue necessary directions to Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, to include the other recommendations as also forwarded by JPC for making this package a complete.
Capt Chib said that the rehabilitation package is incomplete till other demands of 15% reservation for the wards of DPs in professional institutions and Govt jobs are met. He demanded reservation of 24 seats of Assembly for the DPs. He said that creation of Development Board for the PoJK DPs and Chhamb/ West Pakistan refugees is also strong demand of the displaced persons. He also demanded compensation for the deficiency in land to the DPs. The displaced persons residing in the EP houses be accorded ownership rights, he added.
Prominent among others who participated in the protest programme included- Jaipal Sharma, Sakandya Devi, R P Singh, Kuldip Singh, Thoru Ram, Sukhjinder Singh, Hari Singh, Rasal Singh and Capt Sudesh Singh.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
