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| Successive Govts deny representation to PoJK refugees | | No progress on de-freezing of 8-10 seats reserved | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 5: Though some Kashmir-based politicians have started raising hue and cry over reports of proposal to constitute delimitation commission, the successive Kashmir-centric state governments have deliberately rejected the de-freezing of the seats reserved for refugees of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
As per reports, the Modi government has been mulling to constitute a delimitation commission. The move has been welcomed by Jammu-based parties and strongly opposed by some Kashmir-based parties and their leaders.
"But same Kashmir-based politicians and their representatives in the successive state governments have intentionally or unintentionally denied genuine representation to PoJK refugees according to the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir," a refugee leader said.
As per constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, a total of 25 seats have been reserved for the refugees who migrated from areas falling under PoJK. "The total population of PoJK refugees is between 12.5 lakh to 13 lakh, and if we go by the representation criteria, against population of 1 to 1.5 lakh, one seat of Legislative Assembly is given", he said.
Given the population of PoJK refugees, nearly 8-10 seats are reserved for the refugees now settled in various parts of Jammu region. "In the history of over 70 years of migration, the state government had only de-frozen one seat for PoJK refugees, that is, Mendhar", he said, asking why not more seats were de-frozen by the successive governments?
"Was it not a deliberate attempt of Kashmir-based state governments to deny representation to PoJK refugees and to maintain supremacy of Kashmir-based political parties", the refugee leader said, adding that though the modalities of de-limitation commission were yet to be finalized, the Union government as well as Governor could easily de-freeze the 8-10 seats reserved for PoJK refugees.
If the seats reserved for PoJK refugees would be de-frozen, the issue of regional imbalance and discrimination in representation in the Legislative Assembly would ultimately diminish. "The Kashmir-based political parties should shun their sectarian agenda by supporting the demand of de-limitation, which is as per JK constitution", the refugee leader said. |
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