| 7 decades on, POJK refugees still live in camps | | World Refugee day | | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 19: On the occassion of World Refugee Day on June 20, refugees of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) are feeling themselves cheated as after seven decades of their migration, they are still residing in camps, which exposes the failure of successive governments for their permanent settlement.
Various refugees organization in Jammu province have been demanding permanent settlement of thousands of refugees, residing in various districts of Jammu province, since their forced migration from POJK areas, after tribal invasion of 1947.
"After persuasively taking up the matter of POJK refugees, the previous Congress-National Conference led coalition government had forwarded a proposal to Union government for giving one time settlement package of Rs 30 Lakhs per family but the BJP government after coming to power reduced the amount to Rs 5.50 Lakhs, which was mockery with us", a refugee leader said.
Suchwant Singh, Spokesperson of Movement for Justice for Refugees of 1947 said that it was also recommended by a Joint parliamentary Panel of Home Affairs for giving reservation in professional courses to the wards of refugees as well as some other benefits at par with KPs but so far no such recommendation was accepted by government.
"The Union government gave Rs. 5.50 per family, registered from 1947 to 1950, which turned out to be few thousands to per family as families have grown to several members", he rued and added that it was an insult to refugees to give such shabby and step-motherly treatment with POJK refugees.
The POJK refugees have still been residing in Gole Gujral camp, Bhor Camp, Simbal Camp, Railway Patri, Badyal camp and other areas, since their migration in 1947, but successive government had failed to formulate a concrete policy for their permanent settlement.
Another refugee leader Gian Sharma said that though India is not a signatory to the UN Charter on Refugees but since decades it has given shelter to refugees from across the world. "When India can give shelter to refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, why not it can make concrete policies for the permanent settlement of POJK refugees", he said, and alleged that BJP has also befooled the refugees but reducing the package money and by denying all other benefits, given to other internally displaced people. |
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