Bhawan for PoJK refugees coming up
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Oct 20: Reclaiming their right over Pak occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and peeved over the apathetic treatment they met through successive governments since 1947, the refugees from PoJK will pressurize the Union Government to retrieve the occupied areas of undivided Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan.
The PoJK refugees are observing week long programme from tomorrow to October 27 in 60 cities of country including Jammu to reclaim their right on the land of J&K which is under forcible occupation of Pakistan since 1947. The refugees during their week long programme will also take a solemn pledge in this regard in various programmes held during the week.
The week long programme will be held under the banner of PoJK, Vistapit Sewa Samiti headed by Dr Deepak Kapoor.
According to sources, there is national commitment to retrieve the PoJK which has been forcibly annexed by Pakistan in 1947 and the area belongs to the refugees who have been forced to flee from there after killing and kidnapping of thousands of their community members by the marauders.
Sources said the refugees who are away from their ancestral land for over 75 years now will pressurize the Government to enforce the joint Parliamentary resolution of 1994 to get PoJK back from clutches of Pakistan and settle the refugees who are aborigines of PoJK in their ancestral land.
Sources said the refugees seek an answer from Government that when there is a commitment of the nation to liberate PoJK from Pakistan why the resolution has not been implemented in last 29 years and they will force the Government to implement the same and get their ancestral land restored to them.
Not only the refugees but the people of the entire nation want that this resolution be implemented, sources said, adding that PoJK is integral part of J&K as per the instrument of accession signed by the then Maharaja of J&K Hari Singh with Union of India.
Meanwhile to link the refugees from PoJK with their age old culture and traditions the Government is constructing a grand Bhawan for them in Nagrota constituency for which the land has been allotted by the Revenue Department recently.
The Bhawan will be multidimensional having a Simriti Stumb with a giant entry gate, parking on two sides, administrative block, museum in which pictures and literature highlighting the culture and traditions prevalent in the PoJK at that time. It will also feature the atrocities done by Pak Army and invaders at that time in the first instance, sources said. Moreover there will be future provision of an auditorium, a light and sound programme. This Bhawan will be open to tourists. The Bhawan will have a dormitory, special rooms for staying for people especially the PoJK refugees visiting from other parts of country, Mata Vaishno Devi and Amarnath Ji pilgrims.
Sources said the Bhawan will also have a selfi point, replica of Mirpur Railway Station and Library cum Research Centre.
Sources said that the Bhawan will be constructed over 40 kanals of land in Nagrota area. The Revenue Department has transferred the land for the same. This was also confirmed by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner, K K Sidha while talking to Excelsior. He said the land has been transferred by the Revenue Department.
Recalling the horrors of heart breaking tragedy, the refugees suffered during the Pak raiders attack in 1947, sources said during the week long Abhiyan (programme) different functions including rallies, tribute giving ceremonies and a pledge ceremony to reclaim the PoJk land will be held.
Sources said in 1947 after Pak raiders who were the regular army of that country in civil dress raided the present PoJK including Mirpur, Kotli and parts of Kashmir perpetuated loot and killed thousands of people including men, women and children. The volunteers of Rashtriya Swayamnsevak Sangh (RSS) and Arya Samaj fought them bravely during October 21 and 22 when raiders attacked. This is a black day for the hapless refugees who are fighting for the restoration of their ancestral land since then.
During the week from October 21 to October 27 different programmes will be held at different places in Jammu, said Arun Choudharary, a representative of Arya Samaj and general secretary of PoJK refugees Sewa Samiti.
The various week long programmes included candle light march on October 21 followed by Prabhat Pheri and tribute giving ceremony to martyrs on October 22 at Bakshi Nagar, Geeta Mandir. From October 23 to 25 people will lit candles on their house tops to remember the martyrs and pay tributes in temples and Gurudwars, he added.
The survivors of the attack will give eyewitness account to familiarize the younger generation about the tragedy that befell these hapless people through the hands of enemies of humanity.
The programme will be put on face book for larger publicity, Choudhary said, adding on October 26 which is the Vilay Diwas (Accession Day) a Tiranga rally will be taken out from different parts of Jammu city starting from Digiana Gurudwara Ashram. It will pass via Flyover, BC Road, Rehari, Sarwal, New Plots, Rajinder Chowk and culminate at Geeta Mandir, Bakshi Nagar where tribute will be paid to the Jawans of Army who attained martyrdom and thousands of people of Mirpur, Kotli, Muzafarabad, Poonch, Uri, Kupwara and Baramulla.
Recalling saga of the tragedy, Choudhary said 10,000 people were killed on bank of river Jehlum among 25,000 who were kidnapped or made hostage by the raiders. Among them, 25,000 people 6600 were only released while rest were killed,, he added.
He said Rajouri was also captured on April 13 in 1948 and after India’s independence, Rajouri was the only town where 3000 people were killed by Pak army in a single day.
Choudhary said PoJK was given to Pak on platter under a conspiracy and this was a Himalayan blunder. He said when Indian army reached Kashmir the GoI declared ceasefire despite the fact that Army had chased the raiders and they were on run.
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