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| 2 refugees injured in police action | | |
CHAMAN KAUL
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, March 15: At least 12 West Pakistan refugees received injuries when police resorted to cane charge and teargassing during their protest rally here this afternoon.
West Pakistan refugees struggling for rights of ownership for the last six decades exhibited strong protest on both entry gates of civil secretariat to press their long pending demands. However, police foiled the attempt of refugees to gherao the State Legislature complex here.
Sensing problem to law and order situation outside the secretariat, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand summoned leaders of refugees to assure them about the implementation of Wadwa Report to fulfill their demands.
“Deputy CM has assured about the implementation of Wadwa Report after discussing it with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in a couple of days to come,” Rajiv Chuni leader of delegates said. He said only assurance after assurance is not going to help in any way, government of day should take the issue serious and make efforts to address the genuine problems of refugees in the large interest of state.
Earlier, about 1000 West Pakistani refugees took out the protest rally led by Labba Ram Gandhi from Mubarak Mandi complex towards civil secretariat from both two entry gates. Protestors were raising anti-government and anti-chief minister slogans. Refugees also burnt effigies of the government.
Responding to prevailing situation police resorted to cane charge in which about a dozen persons were injured.
It is pertinent to mention that 1, 50,000 refugees living close to borders in Jammu, Kathua and Samba district are living like unwanted citizens of the state without citizenship rights for the past six decades. Successive governments under political compulsions have adopted ignorant attitude towards the refugees.
"We demand our rights, successive state governments have always given us a step motherly treatment which is not acceptable now," alleged Labha Ram Gandhi, President Refugee Association. Refugees have no right to own land, property, cast votes, seek jobs and admission in professional colleges in Jammu and Kashmir as they are neither considered nor treated as the citizens of the state as per the state constitution.
Leaders expressed anguish over the atrocities committed by police over the refugees. They even did not rule out intensifying the protest demonstrations if their demands were not conceded and addressed during the current session of Assembly. Refugees are planning impressive demonstration by next week if the demands were not listened, sources inside community informed.
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