EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, Jan 29 : Violence continues to claim lives in Jammu and Kashmir leaving behind a swelling number of orphans and widows. Not all among the destitute are taken care by the society and the effort put in by the government and allied agencies is insufficient to cope with the situation.
With the increase in the number of orphans, there is also a rise in the orphanages. However, not all are genuine. It is an open secret now that the unscrupulous elements in the society are seizing the situation to siphon money and seek other benefits in the name of fake orphanages. People are complaining that the police has failed to crack the whip on the dishonest.
The cops deny the charge and asserts public awareness will prove more effective than any legal action.
According to a survey done by Save the Children India, world’s leading independent children rights organisation, there are over 2,90,000 orphans in Jammu and Kashmir, majority of them victim of the two-and-a-half decade old turmoil. Normally, they should have found refuge in scores of institutions run in their name for their better future.
Though only a few of these are credible, all collect money from within the state and even receive funds from abroad in the name of providing shelter, food and education to the orphans, widows and other destitute. Within Kashmir Valley, they collect donations through door to door campaign on daily basis and in order to encourage people to identify themselves with the charity work, they invoke religious injunctions. Come the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, hordes of people surface and present themselves as volunteers of the ‘orphanages’ that spring from nowhere.
Prof. Bashir Ahmed Dabla, eminent scholar-researcher and sociologist of Kashmir, who has written several research-papers on the insurgency’s impact on the Kashmiri society, said “It is a fact that in every city and town there are two to 12 organisations which are collecting money not only within Kashmir but outside the country too in the name of helping orphans and widows.” He said investigations have revealed that not only are unscrupulous elements involved in the ‘business’ of duping the gullible people but some government agencies too have seized the opportunity for political purposes.
He added, “However, can’t deny there are some organisations which are doing a commendable job.” |
