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| Domicile certificates for WP refugees only after evolving consensus | | Congress's complete U-turn | | Neha
JAMMU, Jan 9: On January 6, Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Raman Bhalla, along with Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma, assured the refugees from West Pakistan, mostly Dalits, that the State Government will amend the State Constitution in the coming Assembly session in order to grant domicile certificates to them so that they could also exercise some citizenship rights in the State. "The State Government will bring necessary amendment in the Constitution during the next Assembly session to clear all hurdles related to this issue. The domicile certificate is an internal matter which would be sorted out shortly," he had said while addressing these refugees at Swankha Morh near Vijaypur.
It appeared from his statement that the day was not far when the suffering refugees would lead a dignified life as full-fledged Indians in this part of the State, but it was not to be. For, the communal and separatist forces in the Valley took no time in ganging up against these refugees as well as the Congress Ministers, all opposing the refugees' demand seeking citizenship rights. The NC opposed the demand. The separatist outfits like APHC-M and APHC-G, like the NC and other Kashmir-based outfits, plus some members of the Kashmir-based legal fraternity, also opposed the demand tooth a nail and threatened an agitation. The result was that the Revenue Minister took a complete U-turn and yesterday reportedly said that the West Pakistan refugees, who have been crying for justice since 1947, would get domicile certificates only after a consensus is evolved on the issue.
"We will try to evolve a consensus on granting citizenship rights to West Pakistani refugees. The Bill would be introduced in the Assembly provided there would be a consensus on the issue. To amend the Constitution, two-thirds majority in the Assembly is required," he was quoted as saying. "He hopes that political parties across the State would adopt a humanitarian approach on the issue," he also said. What Bhalla said was what Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar had said on January 7. "Anybody is free to bring a Bill in the legislature in this regard, but the Government has no plans to do it on its own. Where is the two-thirds majority that is required to amend the Constitution? West Pakistan refugees are not the residents of Jammu and Kashmir and as such there is no question of giving them Permanent Resident Certificates," he had reportedly said.
History has again repeated itself in Jammu and Kashmir. The Congress had taken a complete U-turn on the issue of Dogra certificates some two years back and now it took a complete U-turn on the refugee issue. Paradoxically, it was none other than the Congress leader and Revenue Minister Raman Bhalla who had to go back on his solemn promises under pressure from negative forces in the Kashmir valley. This is the Congress which says day in and day out that it is committed to secular values and democratic ethos. |
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