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| 63 years tragedy tale of residents of International Borders in Jammu sector | | | Prof. Bhim Singh | 11/19/2013 12:05:30 AM |
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Nearly a week's extensive study tour of 210 kms. long insec-ured International Indian Border with Pakistan in J&K by a strong JKNPP team headed by Prof. Bhim Singh has revealed several factors relating to the horrifying situation the citizens have been living under the Pakistani shellings and indiscriminate bombing. Prof. Bhim Singh presented a brief account of the situation to Dr. Man-mohan Singh, Indian Premier, that deserves the attention of the entire Nation. Pakistani shelling and continued bombing on the 'citizens' residing along the International Border during the past two months have threatened the very existence rather survival of the local population living in the 'muddy houses' and utter helplessness. Travelling to interact with the suffering people along 210 kms. long Indo-Pak border ranging from the river Manawar Tawi (dividing Palanwala from Chhamb)to Bibiya in Hiranagar (Kathua District) was highly disturbing experience of travelling through the shattered war-zone. Astonishing revelations were made by the local residents about the horrors of shelling from across the border. Reception the suffering people have been facing in the hands of administration at home speak volumes of their woes.
Palanwala Sector: Those born since 1997 have not been issued ration cards and therefore hold no ration cards. No concession or benefit. Secondly, BPL & APL cards have been distributed to the residents of the towns or to the privileged ones ignoring the border residents. The border residents have not been granted Backward Area Status either which is enjoyed by the residents of J&K living along the 744 kms. long LoC (Line of Control) bordering with POK. There are no regular schooling either because of the disturbance along the International Border. There is strong anger simmering among the people against the Central and the State Governments who have never cared for the safety and welfare of the people residing along the International Border. Besides the local population there are approximately 50,000 Pakistan refugees of 1947 and their descendants born since 1947. There are about 10,000 Chhamb (POK) and 5,000 POK refugees settled on the allotted land in the bordering villages. Remain unattended and neglected.
Without messing words, it is important to remind the Congress leadership in the Centre that a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) was signed in October, 2002 by Dr. Manmohan Singh, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, Mufti Mohd. Sayeed, Prof. Bhim Singh and others that each family living along International Border, under the shelling range, shall be allotted 10 marlas of land (free of cost) in safe zone so that during border disturbances the people could move to the safe zone. The Congress betrayed their promise. It was one of the reasons that the Panthers Party withdrew its support to the Congress-led coalition government in J&K in 2008. A local Residents Welfare Committee led by Capt. Ratan Singh had made several representations to the Prime Minister of India seeking support of the Central Government for the redressal of their legitimate demands but got no acknowledgement. The mining of their land as well as the forcible occupation by the Defence deserve urgent attention of the Prime Minister. It is estimate that 38000 kanals of agricultural land along Indo-Pak International Border has been taken by the 'Defence' to build fencing. The fencing wires have been erected on the farmers land, leaving 2 to 3 kms. behind marked Border. Most of the farmers are refugees from Chhamb and Deva-Batala (POK). A tragic and shameful chapter of history was that Chhamb sector across River Manawar Tawi was surrendered by the Govt. of India to Pakistan in 1965. There has been no justification by the echelons of power. The Indian citizens were evacuated from Chhamb sector in 1965 and dumped in barren land along Indo-Pak International Border where they have been living a disgraceful life as beggars in different pockets of Akhnoor, Suchetgarh, Samba and Hiranagar sectors. Most of the land allotted to them has again been taken over for fencing purpose without notice or rent or compensation. Several hundred families have turned 'beggars'. For a decade they have been begging for justice. This problem was brought to the notice of the study team in Palanwala, Khour, Pargwal, Sai, Bibiya by the local residents and the panches, the sarpanches and the lumbardars. Local residents were not paid any rent for the land where 'mines were planted' 10 years ago. Several local persons were injured in the mines blast. None of them have been compensated by the State or the Centre.
Pargwal Sector:- The study team visited the most sensitive areas of Pargwal situated in Akhnoor Tehsil. Pargwal is surrounded by International Border from three sides. There is only one connection with the National Highway. Pargwal remains as one of the most neglected border villages. It has not been accorded with a Block level status in 60 years. This area remains completely cut off from the District or Tehsil Headquarters. There is famous romantic river the Chenab which divides Pargwal from Akhnoor sector. The people of the area have been agitating for the construction of a bridge which should equally be useful for the defense purpose. The local people heavily cite the example of construction of Banihal-Qazigund Railway tunnel costing nearly Rs. 5000 crores though there was no railway link of Banihal with the rest of the country. The Pargwal-Akhnoor Bridge from Pargwal to Indri-Patan has been surveyed. It needs Central assistance.
The schools and medical clinics in Pargwal area are also in shambles whereas Revenue Offices hardly function. Pargwal deserves a 'Block' status with a degree college for the caged population. Visited the family of Mr. Chamel Singh who was killed in Lakhpat Jail Lahore (Pakistan) after having completed his sentence belonged to village Sunjwal in Pargwal. His wife Mrs. Kamlesh Devi with her children live in rags. She told that not a single person from the administration had visited their house. Even the local MLA who happened to be Dy. Chief Minister of the State did not care to say 'hello' to the family. Wife of Chamel Singh burst in tears complaining that, "Lacs of rupees were given to the family of Shri Sarabjit Singh (killed in the same Lakhpat Jail) in Punjab and his family members provided jobs whereas the J&K Govt. did not care to express their condolences (with Chamel's family) even". The entire village showered volley of questions. She also gave me a letter of Chamel Singh from Pak-jail written in Hindi requesting her wife to contact me (Bhim Singh) for legal help. I had engaged Mr. Owais Sheikh, Advocate in Lahore to pursue the Chamel case on behalf of the State Legal Aid Committee. Mr. Sheikh has been made to run away from Pakistan with his family.
Suchetgarh Sector:- Suchetgarh in R.S. Pura is about 10 kms. from Sialkote (Pakistan) the people of this area have similar complaints that their agricultural lands have been taken away since a decade without paying them any rent or compensation. They also accused the State Govt. that their children have not been recruited in the police or in the Army. They also accused the State Govt. for denying them 'Dogra Certificates'. 'Dogra Certificates' are helpful to the local youth to seek a little preference for the Army Recruitment as the 'Gorkhas' used to have in the past. State Govt. has prohibited to grant a 'Dogra Certificate' for ulterior reasons. Though the Panchayats are empowered to issue a 'Dogra Certificate' to identify the Dogra youth, yet this experience has not gained ground with the public sentiments.
Another problem facing the people is the deprivation of the land from its owners situated between the ditch and the International Border. Fencing is erected 2/3 kms. behind the International Border. Another complaint of the residents was that Suchetgarh is a separate Assembly segment yet it has not been recognized as a separate Revenue Block. Suchetgarh is functioning under R.S. Pura Block.
There are 66 Blocks in Jammu Pradesh whereas 77 in Kashmir Valley although Jammu Pradesh has double the area as compared to the Kashmir Valley. Delimitation of Blocks is as important for the development of Jammu Pradesh as is the need of Delimitation of Assembly segments in J&K.
Sai to Nandpur are highly sensitive zones along International Border. Sai has majority of Chhamb refugees. The recruitment of youth is the main demand. Why the residents of border areas are not given RBA (Resident of Backward Area) status? This question can only be answered by the Prime Minister.
Samba Sector:- The residents of Samba sector from Nandpur to Banglad and Kulian has most of the migrants from Chhamb and Deva-Batala now in POK. An elderly migrant (85), Shri Bari Ram of Deva-Batala presented a brief charter in Urdu asking a big question as to why Deva-Batala was allowed to fall in the hands of Pakistani Army in November 1947 after the Indian Army had landed in Kashmir in October, 1947. He blamed Nehru & Sheikh for this blunder. The migrants from Chhamb and Deva-Batala have not been settled till date. The lands they were allotted belonged to the persons who had migrated to Pakistan voluntarily in 1947. The new settlers have been allotted the land with a condition that the land shall go back to the owners if they happened to return from Pakistan. They have a genuine fear because the National Conference Govt. enacted a Law allowing the return of such migrants from Pakistan to J&K with their descendants. The Panthers Party got this Resettlement Act stayed by the Supreme Court in 2002 and the matter is still pending before the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court. Had this 'Law' continued to operate, there would have a 'disaster' in the State.
This Law was opposed by the then J&K Governor, Mr. B.K. Nehru yet the Congress failed to realize its consequences. It was main reason that I (Bhim Singh) resigned his MLA ship and left Congress in 1982 Both the NC & the Congress has been opposing the petition in the Supreme Court.
This situation has kept these settlers at the border in high alert. 'Nanga' village in Samba sector had a tragic tale to sing. A house hardly 2 kms. from the International Border in Nanga faced a bomb attack. The roof of the house with a big hole stands as proof of the barbaric attack by Pakistani Army which smashed the roof and landed in the kitchen of the house of Shri Mangal Das. The administration has not cared to provide the broken families any relief. None from the administration even paid a courtesy call to the village.
Hiranagar Sector:- 25 long kms. International Border from the skirts of Samba District in Hiranagar sector ends in Bibiya. Bibiya looks like shattered Gaza District of Palestine. The entire population, it appeared, as if was on the run. The small village is situated on the International Border. The local youth presented our team with the films shot showing that Pakistani buffaloes were grazing on their land segregated by fencing. The farmers/owners stand helpless because their land is beyond the barbed fencing. The Pakistani Army is freely using/utilizing this agricultural land for their cattle grazing as the Indian administration has voluntarily surrendered agricultural land of the Indian farmers to Pakistan by building a fencing line 2/3 kms. inside the Indian side.
This study tour by the team of J&K National Panthers Party was a unique experience for us as there was no election fever nor there was any political agenda except studying the real situation as it existed after the sustained ceasefire violations by Pakistan along International Border. This violation has not ceased till date in spite of the assurances by the Pakistani leaders and its Army. The Pakistani troops have pounded several forward posts and civilian areas along the International Border with mortar shells and automatic weapons.
There could be no peace in J&K as long as our borders with Pakistan (International Border or LoC) are not silent. The border trouble from Pakistan side shall cease only when there is democracy in Pakistan and Army is dispatched to the barracks. This would require the leadership of Pakistan to mobilize public opinion in that conflict-torn country in support of establishing democracy and rule of law. On our side the people living along the International Border & LoC deserve attention of the echelons of power in the Centre so that their human dignity and fundamental rights are honoured with commitment.
( The Author is Chief Patron, National Panthers Party & Member, National Integration Council) |
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