Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 18: Provincial president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Rattan Lal Gupta launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government at the Centre for its betrayal and misdeeds, which have shattered the hopes of refugees and left unemployed youth in despair as promises remained unfulfilled.
He emphasized that the Central Government has callously disregarded the trust of refugees in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, plunging the youth into an unemployment abyss due to its failure in honouring commitments made to the people, especially refugees.
In a statement here today, the senior NC leader highlighted the glaring disparity between promises and actions, citing the meager compensation provided to PoK refugees despite earlier recommendations. He pointed out that the then Omar Abdullah Government had recommended Rs 25 lakhs as a comprehensive package to PoK refugees and later, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs had recommended Rs 30 lakhs as a comprehensive/one-time settlement package for refugee families. He lamented that till date, only one installment of Rs 5 lakhs has been paid to them.
Gupta underscored the pressing need for the immediate release of the pending compensation in a single installment, labeling it as a genuine and justified demand that has been neglected for far too long.
Expressing unwavering support for the welfare of refugees, Gupta reaffirmed the National Conference’s commitment to championing the cause of PoK refugees. He urged the Central Government to heed the long-standing plea of refugees and promptly disburse the remaining compensation as recommended by the then Omar Government.
He castigated the BJP for its hollow promise of creating 2 crore jobs per year in the country, highlighting the stark reality of rampant unemployment plaguing the nation, especially in Jammu and Kashmir. With Prime Minister Modi’s scheduled visit to J&K on February 20, he stressed the urgent need for tangible action, urging the Prime Minister to prioritize the release of pending compensation to refugees and jobs to the unemployed youth of J&K as promised during his visit.
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