Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 7: Expressing satisfaction over the initiative taken by BJP to raise the problems of PoK refugees and Sikhs in particular, as assured by S S Ahuluwalia former Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha that their grievances will be raised by the Party at appropriate forum, the members of community today said that it has generated a ray of home among them.
This was stated by stated by BJP senior leader Varinderjeet Singh, while addressing a press conference at Party headquarters here today alongwith BJP State Executive Members Rajinder Singh and H.S.Pummy and youth leader Gurdyal Singh Bali.
Varinderjeet Singh said that PoK Sikhs are now seeing a ray of hope after Mr. Ahluwalia made an announcement in this regard at “Sikh Sammelan ” organized by the Party here few days ago.
He said that different yardsticks are being adopted for the people who migrated in 1947 from PoK and other refugees and migrants, which is a glaring example of discrimination towards PoK refugees.
He, while highlighting the grievances of Sikhs in particular, said that these displaced persons from PoK have not been accorded refugee status, their permanent settlement has not be done till date, money of these people lying in J&K Bank branches in PoK areas has not been released to them, there is no reservation for their children in technical and professional colleges, despite repeated representations at the highest levels they have not been treated at par with other refugees and migrants, 24 seats in J&K Assembly for PoK have not been defreezed for the refugees, Sikhs being in minority here are neither given benefits of minority community nor Minority Commission has been set up here, Punjabi language has not been introduced in schools, Anand Marriage Act has not been implemented in Jammu and Kashmir and there is no provision of helping Sikhs to undertake pilgrimages to their religious places situated in PoK.
Mr Singh said that the Sikhs living in J&K in total are having resentment as reports of Ansari Commission and Shah Commission, constituted for inquiring into 1989 riots and Chattisingh Pura carnage respectively have not been made public so far. There is also anger among the Sikhs as the benefits of Healing Touch and Surrendered Militant Policy have been enjoyed by a particular community only.
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