Avtar Bhat
-Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, Apr 6: Maintaining that Government will not coerce Kashmiri migrants to return to Valley, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today said that the Pandits will only return after they themselves feel sense of security in Kashmir which was snatched after the turmoil gripped the Valley.
Addressing an election meeting at Tumal Bohri near here, which was organized by NC Minority Cell to garner support for three NC Lok Sabha candidates from Valley, Omar said if Pandits will be offered castles outside the Valley, still they will prefer to return to Kashmir provided the situation becomes fully conducive for the same and they feel that a sense of security prevails there.
He said same was conveyed by him during the Round Table Conference (RTC) to Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh some years back. Lambasting the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), he said during the RTC its president, Ms Mehbooba Mufti opposed the NC proposal of bettering facilities for migrants in camps outside the Valley and construction of TRTs here.
He alleged that PDP was shedding crocodile tears and alleging Pandits lack facilities in camps now.
“Mehbooba opposed NC’s proposal in RTC saying that if Pandits will be given facilities here they will not return to Valley”, he added.
“How can a Party with such a mindset be sympathetic towards plight of displaced Pandits” he asked and added that NC took a stand in the said meeting and strongly advocated for bettering facilities for the displaced people in camps here as they were living in small one rooms which lack basic facilities. It was because of NC’s persuasion that the TRTs including the Jagti township was constructed at Jammu, he added.
Mr Abdullah said it is the duty of his Government to solve the problems of the displaced Pandits from Valley and provide them all facilities till they return to their homes and hearths in Valley. “My Government is in touch with the genuine representatives of Pandits on their genuine problems”, he added.
He said Jagti township has been constructed and the authorities have been given directives to improve facilities there.
Terming the implementation of PM’s job package another achievement of NC led coalition in the State, Chief Minister said about 1500 jobs were provided under the package and the second phase would have been implemented but some 200 youth went to court and stayed the same.
Now Government is in the process of implementing the same and the interests of these youth will also be taken care of, he added.
Making a dig at BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, Mr Abdullah said “during his first rally at Jammu in December last year, he (Mr Modi) did not speak a single word about the displaced Pandits though he mentioned about Gujjars and even made a reference to my sister Sara but he did not make any mention about the plight of the displaced people from Valley”.
Chief Minister said it was only after the NC pointed out the same that Mr Modi made a reference to it during his recent Hiranagar rally.
Accusing BJP of sabotaging the Kashmiri Hindu Shrines and Religious Places Bill, he said some opposition members mounted on tables to oppose its passage though the Government wanted a Board to be constituted on the pattern of Auqaf to preserve the Shrines and temples of Pandits in Valley.
He said his party can be judged by its performance and whether in Government or in opposition it always acted as representative of the Pandits.
Mr Abdullah said he will not appeal to vote for NC but only ask you to judge the two parties with their performance.
He said for Anantnag -Pulwama Lok Sabha seat there are many candidates in the fray but the real tussle is between PDP and NC. “The people have to choose that who is a better candidate between the two whether Mehbooba Mufti of PDP or Dr Mehboob Beg, of NC he added.
He said the parties other than NC who will come to seek vote from you should be asked whether they have fulfilled the promises made earlier.
While referring to rehabilitation package of migrants, he said the amount which was to be paid under the previous package was less and now the Government has revised the same and submitted it to Union Government. He expressed the hope that the same will be approved after the installation of new Government at Centre.
CM was accompanied by NC provincial president Devender Rana.
Addressing the meeting Minister of CAPD & Transport, Ch Mohammed Ramzan, said Pandits have played a great role in flourishing the composite culture of the Valley and this time they too have a responsibility to defeat the fundamentalist forces and strengthen the secular forces which is need of the hour.
NC candidate from Anantnag-Pulwama Lok Sabha Constituency, Dr Mehboob Beg asked the Pandits to vote enmass in the ensuing elections. “You have a grievance that your representative was not included in council of ministers and I assure you that your two representatives will be given berths in Council of Ministers provided you cast your vote” he added.
He said in Anantnag Pulwma Constituency there are over 20,000 votes of Pandits and if only 10,000 from them vote in favour of a particular party it will bring a revolution, he added.
Dr Beg appealed the people to strengthen the secular forces in the State and said had the communalism been the only criteria in the world then Bangladesh would have not been separated from Pakistan as the people of both nations belonged to same religion.
Earlier addressing the meeting NC MLC Vijay Bakaya highlighted various problems being faced by migrants including improvement in power and water supply at Jagti, enhancement of cash relief etc.
N C leader Anil Dhar also appealed the people to strengthen the secular forces while Minority Cell working president M K Yogi highlighted the problems of displaced people.
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