J ust a cursory visit to the Jammu migrant camps at Talwara in Reasi district can reveal the pitiable conditions in which these hapless Hindu victims of militancy are living now for the last more than two decades. If a movie can be made on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits who were driven out from Kashmir 32 years ago, ”why not a similar movie on us too ”, is what the migrants from Prankot -Dhakikot, Thub, Morha Salui, Kantha, Galyot and other areas of Jammu region ask pathetically . In other words, right from the day of migration preceded by indiscriminate targeted killings by the militants, up till now , nothing concrete has been done in their favour to ameliorate their lot and plight. Excepting registration of a few hundred of them as migrants and most of others having been left unregistered, nothing else has been done by the successive Governments in the then state and now the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. Equally, complete apathy towards their miserable lot by the successive Central Governments too have compounded their problems. It is worth noting that as per the ruling of the Supreme Court, 2221 families of Jammu migrants should be treated at par with Kashmiri migrants, still the executive response of due compliance is nowhere to be seen. These victims of Pakistan sponsored militancy and other terror acts question whether they are really being treated as human beings by the concerned authorities or else why should they continue to live in and pass their days and nights in hellish conditions. Their shanties and rooms where they are huddled for two decades, are in dilapidated conditions, roofs leaking in rains and forcing the inmates to shift their belongings from one to the other corner in the room to save the same from getting drenched. At least, why cannot reasonably better staying arrangements befitting human beings be made for them too, is what most of them lament. It is worth noting that their near and dear ones too were killed in cold blood by the terrorists like they did with Kashmiri Pandits and when all the requisite facilities were provided to them , ”why not to us”, is what they genuinely ask. It is shocking that there was no one to listen to them, no political leader having any time to spare to pay even a courtesy visit to their migrant camps to take stock of the extent of their plight. At least, their tale of sufferings too is needed to be listened to in order to understand and get a sense of what they have lost due to terrorism and how they could be helped out. That they are displaced within Jammu region should not cause any bar or restriction in respect of their proper rehabilitation, especially the education of their children , free medical facilities, and providing to their children also a job package on similar lines as provided to Kashmiri Pandit migrant unemployed youth. Agreed, the movie “Kashmir Files ” has after 32 long year brought into light widely the atrocities committed on Kashmiri Pandits , why should such an awakening in respect of what befell them and making them migrants too, not be made. Own traditional place, own native village, own mohalla etc provide unique sense of belongingness and a sense of being connected to one’s roots and, therefore, these migrants were quite happy in their way in their own villages but militancy , violence and targeted killings of their family members forced them to move to the present places for safety but these migrants ask that when the Government could construct residential quarters for Kashmiri migrants in Jammu coupled with granting other facilities, why the same facilities at par cannot be extended to these migrants as well. These Jammu migrants, therefore, are waiting for a movie like “Kashmir Files” to be made for them also so that their plight and whimpers reach the non listening ears of those occupying the responsible positions of power in the country as all other means have proved of no avail. We owe empathy to them for their sufferings purely on humanity and on the principle of parity.
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