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| Interlocutors moved by refugees’ plight, assure concerns would be conveyed to Delhi | | Solution of K issue not possible without settling issues of refugees: Padgaonkar | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 22: A day after their scheduled visit on February 21 to Bhour camp which could not materialize, the J&K Interlocutors finally reached out to the POK Refugees today in ward number 1, only to feel saddened by their condition. Even as the interlocutors were moved by their plight and the woes unfolded by the refugees, the left the camp on a reassuring note that their concerns and the grasp of their problems would soon be conveyed to right quarters in Delhi besides making separate recommendations in their report. Dilip Padgaonkar who leads the team said settlement and solution of the Kashmir problem could not be possible until the concerns of all, including refugees were addressed in desired perspective.
It was a day of some relief and satisfaction for the inhabitants of the Bhour camp in Jammu as they found all the three interlocutors quite receptive and responsive to their woes and grievances which were narrated by them in a detailed manner. Getting a sense of the pathetic conditions and miserable plight on different fronts which has been aggravated by the indifferent attitude of successive state governments and Centre, Prof Radha Kumar responded on an emotional note while listening to them patiently and said the government should address all their problems.
The Interlocutors spent over two hours in the camp today and had elaborate discussions with the leaders of various organizations as well in order to get complete understanding of the problems the refugees have been facing for six decades. They also addressed the refugees briefly. Underlining the need for a uniform migrant policy, MM Ansari said their concerns and grouse on the basis of discrimination meted out needed to be addressed so that they could get of feel of government paying some attention.
Speaking to media later he said the government and the concerned quarters must try to look into the grievances by making comparisons with other categories of the migrants in respect of distribution of relief, ration and other amenities. Observing that it appears to them the benefits of Centrally sponsored schemes have not reached to these refugees, Ansari said all these concerns would have to be conveyed to the policy makers so that their interests could be accommodated at all levels.
Asserting that the main issue of Kashmir could not be addressed nor could any solution be possible without first addressing the issues and sorting out their problems like those of the POK refugees and all categories of migrants. Acknowledging that the refugees had genuine problems and difficulties, the veteran journalist however assured them on an optimistic note that there was no need to feel disappointed or disgruntled as their condition has been well registered and would be conveyed to Prime Minister, Home Minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. “We would accommodate everything we saw and felt in our report and try to make strong recommendations in every possible manner”, he said, while assuring the refugees. The interlocutors also termed as unfortunate that the refugees were facing miseries and neglect for six decades.
In the memorandum submitted separately by the leaders of the refugees, apart from scores of demands they have been projecting for years, the main thing they stressed in front of the interlocutors was the need for constituting a POK Refugees Development Board and extending the Central Act of Displaced Persons Compensation and Rehabilitation Act(1954) in the state so that they could accrue benefits guaranteed under the provisions of the Act. The refugees while talking to interlocutors contended there was no rationality in keeping their keep hanging in terms of delaying rehabilitation as there is no chance of going back to the place they have come from.
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