Early Times Report
jammu, Aug 21: In a surprise deviation from his own party's proposal of setting up a Sainik Colony in Srinagar for serving and ex-servicemen of J&K, a BJP veteran has termed media reports in this regard as "canards", which, he said, were being spread by some vested interests to create confusion among people.
He is felt to have made this statement, following stiff opposition to this proposed Government move, if any, by the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat activists in the valley. But how can he take a line different from that of his own party? This question has started haunting not only the people of J&K, but also his own party leaders in the State.
Addressing employees, who have been given employment under the PM’s Package, the BJP leader said, "There is no proposal for setting up a Sainik Colony in Kashmir for the rehabilitation of ex-servicemen. Unfounded rumours are being spread to create confusion among the masses. I do not have any knowledge about this issue."
The pro-Pak separatists, who are in the habit of making issues out of no issues, have threatened to launch an agitation following media reports that the Centre has asked J&K Government to consider a proposal of setting up a Sainik Colony in Kashmir for ex-military men.
The coalition partners - BJP and PDP - are also in conflict over the proposed Srinagar Sainik Colony.
Although the State Home Department was said to have identified a plot of land at Humhama in the outskirts of Srinagar for the Sainik Colony, PDP chief spokesperson, Dr Mehboob Beg was quoted by some local newspapers having said that "any move to settle non-resident armed personnel will be a violation of the State's Constitution".
"It will be totally against the special status of J&K (under Article 370 of Indian Constitution) if any non-local trooper is settled here permanently. The colony is meant for those troopers and ex-servicemen who are permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
The controversy dates back to 2012 when Sainik Welfare Department moved a proposal to set up a residential cluster for serving and ex-servicemen in the valley. "The proposal was cleared by Rajya Sainik Board, headed by Governor NN Vohra, early this year, after which the State Government identified a plot of land measuring 173 kanals near Humhama for the Sainik Colony," official sources said.
The Home Department was, however, moving slow on the recommendations of Rajya Sainik Board due to "varied" reasons, the sources added.
According to the proposal, the land is to be leased out to the ex-servicemen for 99 years with about 6,000 serving and retired soldiers so far applying for plots in the colony.
Sources said a month or so back, RSS leader and BJP MP Tarun Vijay had submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister, demanding settlement rights for the soldiers who had served a minimum of three years in the valley, following which the Union Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, had forwarded the proposal to the J&K Government.
Given these developments, how can the BJP veteran outrightly say that "there is no such proposal"? He needs to clarify to remove confusion in this regard from the minds of the people. |
