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| Former interlocutor also jumps on to the separatists' bandwagon | | Citizenship rights to WP refugees | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 13: One can very well understand the reasons behind the senseless and communally-motivated opposition of the Kashmiri separatists, Kashmiri "mainstream" parties, Kashmiri civil society and Kashmiri commentators to the suggestion of the joint parliamentary committee that the refugees from West Pakistan be granted all citizenship rights so that they also lead a dignified life as other Indians in the state. One cannot expect any positive approach from these fanatics, Pakistani agents and votaries of the two-nation theory. Hence, one need not get disturbed by what has been happening in the Valley or what the fanatics in the Valley have been doing to oppose the well-meaning, rational and national suggestion of the joint parliamentary committee.
But what has disturbed the hapless community of refugees from West Pakistan and those who believe in the human dignity is the manner in which former interlocutor Dilip Padgaonkar on Monday jumped on to the separatists' bandwagon to oppose the suggestion that the refugees from west Pakistan be granted citizenship rights, including the right to property and right to vote.
Making common cause with the fanatics in Kashmir, Padgaonkar said: "The recommendations of joint parliamentary committee about settlement of refugees in J&K cannot be implemented without having a debate and discussion on the issue. Besides, granting citizenship rights to refugees is a State Subject matter and New Delhi cannot impose its authority on any government in Jammu and Kashmir. The move of the New Delhi will further alienate the people of Kashmir Valley. Raking up of such issues only harms the integrity of the country and all the controversial issues should be shelved in the interest of the country…New Delhi should understand that any move to grant special concessions to the refugees of West Pakistan would be unacceptable to the people of Kashmir Valley and if Central Government will push for the issue then it would certainly snowball into a major political controversy".
It was clear from what he said that he doesn't consider Jammu & Kashmir an integral part of India and that he considers this state as a foreign country which has no place whatsoever for these hapless refugees, all Hindus and mostly Dalits. His pernicious suggestion that New Delhi has no right to grant citizenship rights to these refugees constitutes a proof that he and the fanatics in the Valley are on the same page. It needs to be underlined that the interlocutors' report on J&K has recommended citizenship rights to these refugees. That he on Monday took a line different from what it had taken while preparing its report establishes that an unholy influence is at work to defeat the aim of the refugees.
The Government of India would do well to reject outright the opposition in Kashmir as well as opposition of the likes of Padgaonkar to the well-meaning suggestion and grant citizenship rights to these refugees at the earliest. The state today is under the Governor rule and the Governor enjoys all the powers, including the power of legislation. New Delhi must ask the Governor, the centre's representative in the state, to do the needful so that the 67-year-old demand of the refugees is conceded. |
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