Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 11: Rejecting out rightly the budgetary relief proposals of Modi Government for Valley migrants without considering the plights of displaced persons from Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir, several refugees/ DPs’ organizations strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitely for ignoring refugees in the budget.
SOS International, An organisation of displaced persons from PoK, has accused the Finance Minister of ignoring the community while presenting the Modi Government’s maiden budgetary relief provisions for Valley migrants. Rajiv Chuni, chairman of the organization along with other volunteers gathered outside the Jammu Press Club to mark their strong protest against the Modi led Government. They alleged that that Finance Minister’s budgetary relief provisions for one set of migrants that too for Kashmir valley have fully exposed the unilateral pro-Kashmiri approach adopted by the Modi Government to deal with the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr Chuni accused Modi of betrayal who during his first election rally at Hiranagar after paying his obeisance at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, had promised to address the PoK refugees’ issue on top priority but backed out on it and forgot very conveniently after becoming the Prime Minister. He deplored the attitude of Central Government for making Rs 500 crores budgetary provisions for Valley migrants’ return and rehabilitation without considering the far-genuine case of displaced persons from PoK who are living under sub-human conditions for the last more than 67 years.
A meeting of J&K Youth Sharnarthi Action Committee held under the leadership of its president, RC Sharma strongly condemned the budget of Union Government presented by Arun Jatiley on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, completely ignoring the PoK refugees and their plight. Mr Sharma said that PoK refugee were hoping all on this Union Budget as it was being promised by Narendra Modi himself at Hiranagar rally for early redressal of PoK refugees plight but it is sad for the entire PoK refugees community that budget has no mention of PoK refugees. He further said that due to the support of PoK refugees both candidates of BJP have won the election but BJP ignored the PoK refugees.
Addressing gathering, Iqbal Singh said that PoK refugees were hoping a lot from this Union Budget as the BJP leaders had promised with PoK refugees. He said that youth of PoK refugees would come on roads and start protest against this huge discrimination.
Meanwhile, MJR -47 (Movement for Justice for PoK 1947) displaced persons feel highly dejected on being discriminated vis-a-vis Kashmiri migrants when Govt has announced a special package of Rs 500 crores for their settlement in Budget 2014-15.
All categories of displaced families of PoK 1947 from Muzafrabad, Poonch, Mirpur or even from Chammb in 1947,1965, 1971 who were assured of relief and rehabilitation by BJP have been totally ignored.
“This has lead to a strong feeling that BJP which always talks of Justice to all is not in any way different to previous Congress Govts which have played with refugees sentiments for the last more than six decades. No political party has ever tried to feel our pains, suffering and miseries. We have faced in tribal raids of 1947 & therefore till date. Except for false assurances and giving prominent place to refugee issue in election manifesto, none of the political parties has ever made serious efforts to solve this Issue,” they maintained.
Now the time has come that all categories of refugees should come together and show their strength in the ensuing State assembly elections and teach BJP a lesson like Congress Party. “We welcome package for Kashmiri migrants but strongly feel about the discriminatory attitude of the BJP Govt. We should now be very clear about the approach of all political parties who try to create wedge within the categories of refugees and get votes,” they added.
Jammu and Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee has also strongly criticized Modi led Government at the Centre for ignoring displaced persons from PoK in the budget. Gurdev Singh, president of the Committee also condemned Pradesh BJP for its failure to take up the issue of DPs from PoK with the Central leadership. He said the refugees/ DPs had pinned hopes on Modi Government but they have been feeing deceived again. He said Congress also never wanted to resolve the issue and pushed the DPs toward economic subjugation and used them as vote bank by making false promises. Moreover, NC also never supported the cause. He demanded one time settlement of the DPs by granting Rs 30 lakh per family and urged the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister to share all the details with the Union Government regarding package.
Meanwhile, Chammb Displaced Persons Association-1971 in a meeting held under the leadership of S R Nagial discussed and decided further course of action in the light of DPs having been left out in the Budget by NDA Government. He mainly led J&K Government responsible which failed to submit package to the Union Government. He pointed out that Revenue Minister and even Sham Lal PHE Minister was also apprised of the issues recently by the Association but nothing happened in this regard. He said State Government is equally responsible for it. He issued appeal to DPs to get united and field own candidates to contest elections. He said since large number of Chhamb DPs are Jats, it was unanimously decided to support Jat candidates in the coming elections.
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