JAMMU: Chairman, SOS International–an organisation for PoK Displaced Persons (PoK DPs), Rajiv Chuni, has criticised the delay in implementing the package for them as approved by the erstwhile State Government last year.
“Generation after generation, PoK DPs have been deprived from their rights since the day they were forcibly thrown out, brutally killed from their subject places, moreover PoK DPs is that unfortunate community that was constraint to leave their places overnight. PoK DPs are being taken for ride for their sacrifices, and what government is doing with PoK DPs community is absolutely terrible” Rajiv stated during the rally held here on Sunday.
MLA Jammu West Sat Sharma (CA), who was the Chief Guest at the rally, said that Chuni has brought to his notice that persons hailing from Mirpur area before 1947 had deposited huge amount as cash and FDR’s in J&K Bank, Mirpur branch (now under the illegal occupation of Pakistan) and it is approximately sixty-eight years have been over but despite repeated requests and demands, the record of subsisting bank balances have not been disclosed. He further said that he has taken the notice of this matter and same has been referred to the concerned for its early disposal so that PoK DPs won’t face any harassment.
Sharma further said that demands and package put forth by SOS International will be fulfilled in the PDP-BJP Coalition government and the PoK DPs will be given their due right as early as possible.
“80 per cent of PoK DPs who left PoK in 1947 have died and their wards who are alive have been bearing hardships and injustice due to callous approach of government. PoK DPs have only lost and have attained nothing, this is the magnitude of injustice through which PoK DPs have been passing through” he alleged.
SOS International, Chairman further said that PoK DPs whether they belong to Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Poonch, Gilgit etc. had their own linguistic and cultural identity before their migration and with the passage of time, their identity is getting faded away.
“The displaced persons have adoptrd themselves as per the circumstances after their migration from PoK and with the passage of time they have lost their own cultural and linguistic identities. PoK DPs culture was so embedded with beauty and fragrance but now its dying which needs early remedy to make it alive and living life with concealing one’s real identity is just like body without soul” Chuni added.
He further said that PoK DPs are struggling for their rights to give their wards their due right as being enjoyed by Kashmiri Pandits since their migration, adding that keeping biased eye on different communities is only widening the gap which needs to be filled immediately before it gets too late.
Chuni stated that during elections, political parties consider PoK DPs and their plights as they are just seen as vote bank by making fake assurances to fetch votes but once elections get over, all assurances prove just a farce and this episode has been repeatedly moving on since their mass departure from PoK. “Why aren’t people getting their rights normally in a democratic setup? Why are they being mistreated and forced to launch struggle even to get their fundamental rights?” he asked.
Others who addressed the gathering include Dr. Gurmeet Singh, J.S Mangal, Lalit Kumar, Capt. Ravinder Sharma, Sharda Devi, Sanjay Kohli, Roshan Malhotra, Virinder Khajuria, Roshan Lal and Vinay Sharma.