Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 10: Different organizations of refugees including DPs from PoK, Chhamb, and refugees from West Pakistan today constituted a conglomerate under the name Refugees United Front to pose a formidable challenge to all political parties in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
This was announced at a joint press conference of the leaders of the refuges organizations here, this afternoon.
They said Rajiv Chuni, chairman SOS International an organization for displaced persons of PoK will be the president of the newly floated Front.
Capt. (retd) Yudhvir Singh will be the chairman of the Front, Labha Ram Gandhi of West Pak refugees will be its general secretary, Khajoor Singh, senior vice president and S R Namgyal as chief spokesperson, they added.
They said Lalit Kumar, Harjit Singh, Panch, Master Yog Raj Raina, S Hari Singh, R C Sharma (Raju), Iqbal Singh, Skandhya Sharma, Sub (retd) Kasita Singh, Puran Choudhary, Master Ram Rattan, Capt (retd) Jagdev Chib, Chajju Singh Manhas and Paramjit Singh will be its vice presidents.
Mohinder Singh, Capt (retd) Bishamber Nath, Rassal Singh, Vijay Sharma, Talwinder Singh, Jaipal Sharma, K L Bakshi, Kulbir Singh Chib, Bimla Devi, Jagdish Kumar, Madan Lal, Sukh Dev Singh Manhas, Capt. (retd) Rattan Lal, Thoru Ram, Capt (retd) Bua Ditta Chib, Sub (retd) Jagdev Singh, Ins (retd) R P Singh, Pawan Singh Salathia, Sat Pal Lakha, Rashpal and Ashok Kumar will be its secretaries while Prashant Sharma will be as treasurer. All of them were present during press conference.
Mr Chuni said that Front was floated with an objective to keep all the refugees together during this crucial time in Parliament elections and teach all the political parties a lesson for their attempts of befooling the community time and again.
He said all political parties failed to settle the refugees’ problems and only made false promises to them over these years to seek their vote and exploit them.
Making a dig at Coalition Government, he said the package for the refugees rehabilitation which has been prepared by it has not been submitted before the Union Government for seeking funds till date and the proposal is still lying in Civil Secretariat.
Chuni said the refugees have decided to adopt a policy “ no work-no vote’’ for those candidates and political parties who did nothing for them.
He also regretted that not a single Minister from Jammu took up the issue forcefully with the Chief Minister.
Accusing the Government of betrayal, Chuni said this indicates that it was not sincere towards the refugees’ cause as these hapless people are leading a miserable life for decades together.
Lambasting the National Conference, he said when he joined the Party he was told that the problems will be solved within two months and now six months have passed nothing was done. The Chief Minister was responsible for the same, he added.
He said this time the refugees will teach lesson to the political parties and they have come to a single platform to ensure that their votes should not get divided.
He said out of 12 lakh refugee votes in Jammu region three lakh are in Udhampur, Kathua Lok Sabha Constituency and rest in Jammu- Poonch Constituency. Out of 37 Assembly segments the refugees votes can prove decisive in 25 Assembly segments, he added.
Chuni said vested interests tried to divide the refugees earlier but this time they will not succeed as all refugees are firm in their resolve.
The Front has not yet decided on the names of candidates and the decision in this regard will be taken within days so that formal announcement is made before March 15 said Laba Ram Gandhi, chairman West Pak refugees and newly elected general secretary of the Front.
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