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| Give credit to Soz & Co for raising refugees issue | | | | Once the central Government conceded a long pending demand for one-time settlement of the refugees from Pakistan and occupied Kashmir, settled in Jammu for the last 60 years, it would infuse a fresh life to the state unit of the Congress, which otherwise has been blamed for its failure to fulfill its promises which its leaders used to make during electioneering for the last over two decades. If the latest reports are to be relied on these refugees may be covered under one - time settlement process. As per the reports the issue of proper rehabilitation of refugees from Pakistan and occupied Kashmir was raised with leaders in Delhi who matter. According to these reports, the Union Government has accepted the demand for comprehensive settlement of PoK, West Pakistan / Chamb refugees and decided to frame a high level committee to examine the cases of refugees, suggest the quantum of financial assistance, land and other benefits for their one time settlement. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde besides, the UPA chairperson and AICC president Sonia Gandhi told the high powered delegation of Pradesh Congress Committee led by its president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz that steps would be taken to implement the decades old pending issue of West Pakistan refugees of 1947 and displaced persons of 1947, 1965 and 1971. This time the leaders of the stat unit of the Congress seemed determined to convey their concern over the plight of these refugees to the party high command and to those who matter in the union cabinet. This is evident from the composition of the congress delegation that interacted with the top central leaders. Prof Soz was accompanied by Congress Ministers, R. S Chib, Raman Bhalla, Sham Lal Sharma, MPs Madan Lal Sharma and Ch Lal Singh, PCC spokesperson and general secretary Ravinder Sharma (MLC) and former Minister Manjit Singh. The delegation first met the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in his office chambers and then around the Prime Minister and later the UPA chairperson and party president Sonia Gandhi. During meetings with Prime Minister and Home Minister the Congress delegation briefed them about the decades old demands and struggle of over 12 lakh refugees from Pak occupied Kashmir, Chhamb and West Pakistan. They also submitted a memorandum to Dr. Manmohan Singh and Shinde, projecting pending demands of the refugees who are residing in various parts of Jammu region and outside the State. If one takes into account the problems being faced by these refugees, especially those from Pakistan it does not relate only to their permanent settlement, These refugees and their children from West Pakistan cannot apply for Government jobs and purchase property in the State. They should be provided reservation in the Central Government jobs and other relaxations should also be given to them. Many of them are struggling for the ownership rights of their EP properties under their possession.Since they are not entitled for state subject rights their children cannot seek admission in professional colleges within the state. They can vote for the Lok Sabha elections but not in the Assembly elections.These issues can be resolved only if the state constitution is amended. Such an amendment is not possible because two premier political parties, the National Conference and the PDP, are opposed to granting state subject rights to the refugees from Pakistan.The Coleaders know it and that is why they have sought reservation in central Government services for these refugees. Credit needs to be given to Soz and his party colleagues for having raised the refugees' issue with the central Government which could prove counter productive for the congress in the Kashmir valley. At the sametime Congress can gain its ground that it had lost in the Jammu region during the last three years enabling it to remain a Government making organisation that it has been since 2002. |
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