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| Thanks for migrant rehab plan, but whose baby are Jammu migrants | | NIRBHAY JAMMUAL | |
Jammu, July 16: Prime Minister's Manmohan Singh's magnanimity and Jammu and Kashmir government's concern for rehabilitating the displaced Kashmiri Pandit migrants deserves all the appreciation and accolades but the establishment's policy reveals that from Srinagar to New Delhi there are no concerns or sympathies with the miserable people of Jammu region.
Lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits and many others belonging to the Kashmir Valley were forces leave their homes and hearths at different points of time after the outbreak of insurgency over a decade and half back. They had flee their homes and leave behind a life of dignity because there was no security for the same under the prevailing circumstances. Jammu and Kashmir Government and the Government of India has from time expressed concerns for them and try to do every thing possible for their rehabilitation because they are the citizens of this state and it is responsibility of the state to protect its citizens.
During the same period and under same circumstances but at different intervals of time, thousands of other people too had to face the same wrath. They had to flee their homes and hearths; they had to leave behind a dignified life and a source of two square meals. The only difference is that they belong to the other side of tunnel which is not quite visible to the jaundiced eyes of either the state government or the central government.
Though nothing less than a secure atmosphere at their native places can suffice to rehabilitate the Kashmir migrants but whatever the government is doing can been seen as a token of concern. But unfortunate part of the story is that even an iota of such token of concern is missing for the migrants belonging to different parts of Jammu region.
Over 2200 families belonging to different religions, different cultures and different places had to flee their homes over this time. There was not even a word of sympathy from the leadership or the government over their plight. Once can recall that four of these migrants lost their lives in Sidhra in 2001 when a devastating fire broke out when they were trying to make a settlement for themselves. It is still fresh in the public memory that the state legislative assembly was in session when this incident happened. The issue rocked the House the next day. The government came up with a statement which was much expected. The then Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather had said, "it is a policy of the state government to discourage migration, therefore no package is being extended to these ( Jammu based) migrants". On can gauge the double yardstick of the government.
Once can understand the discriminatory attitude of the government from the fact that even the Supreme Court of India had passed clear instructions of equal rehabilitation package to the all migrants.
Unfortunately, neither the state government nor the central government understands this. The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of township for Kashmiri migrants coming up at a cost of Rs 200 crore but on the government agenda there are not even 200 tents to accommodate the migrants from Jammu region.
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