JAMMU: If reports are to be believed, PDP-BJP government is contemplating to carry out a special audit in the Relief and Rehabilitation Organisation, engaged with affairs of the displaced people of the Valley, who were hounded out by Pakistan sponsored and locally supported terrorists in early nineties. That was the time when radicalised segment of the Kashmir society glamourised terrorists as Mujahids and became instrumental in throwing out the minuscule minority of Kashmiri Pandits, who have now ironically become synonymous with Kashmiri migrants. And, the perception is that Kashmiri Pandits alone are in receipt of doles from the government. However, this is far from the truth. But successive governments have failed in clearing the perception by coming out with factual status of Kashmiri migrants and relief-cash assistance and free rations-being provided to them. Hiding facts is essentially because of vested interest. Therefore, the special audit should be welcomed by all, especially Kashmiri Pandits, with the hope that the government will come out with a white-paper on entire gamut of relief operations. In fact, the BJP, as a coalition partner, should play a pro-active role in unveiling the truth.
Kashmiri migrant is a most maligned term, which raises eyebrows of friends and foes, when it comes to counting the ‘doles, ‘packages’ like rehabilitation and employment, cash assistance and educational incentives etcetera’ they are purportedly getting but when it comes to sufferings, they are left on their own.
Nobody has ever tried to differentiate between a Kashmiri Migrant and a Kashmiri Pandit. They are taken as the same entity when it comes to maligning them, back home or in their temporary dwelling places. They are blamed to have left their homes under a conspiracy hatched by Jagmohan. They are accused of being the informers of Indian agencies, who remained instrumental in the ‘martyrdom’ of Mujahids. They are decried for having deserted their homes in pursuit of greener pastures. They are asked to return provided they toe the line Syed Ali Geelani and Yasin Malik wish them to do. They are the most hated species.
Kashmiri migrant is not necessarily a Kashmiri Pandit. It can be anybody displaced from the Valley in the wake of terrorism. They got registered for temporary rehabilitation on their arrival in Jammu, Udhampur and elsewhere in the country in 1990. The process kept continuing for several years. There has always been a misunderstanding over the number of families registered with Relief Organisation for Kashmiri Migrants. Though the exact figures have not been documented over the official websites but are not small but staggering.
Non-Kashmiri Pandits nurture a general impression that the cash assistance is being exclusively ‘consumed’ by the displaced Hindus of Kashmir. This is not only untrue but a deliberate attempt by some vested interests to generate misgivings.
According to a statement made in the Legislative Assembly during 2010-11-Budget Session, 38,119 families stand registered with the Relief Organisation till December 2009, which includes 34,202 Kashmiri Pandits, 2168 Muslims and 1749 Sikhs. Of these 13,702 Hindu families are entitled to draw the relief against 2025 Muslim and 143 Sikh families. Of the registered Kashmiri Pandit migrant families, 20,500 families fall under non-relief category, for their heads of the family or any other member being a government servant, hence not entitled to any relief. Though these statistics portray a factual position to some extent but much is needed to be unfolded, like the ‘migrants’ registered till December 2009, as the government had been repeatedly claiming situation taking turnaround.
Now that a special audit is in the offing, the government must find out year-wise registration of migrants; circumastances under which new migrants were registered; full details of the family members shown in the ration-cards so that it is ascertained whether the children shown therein were actually studying outside the Valley. In fact, a thorough enquiry is needed to be carried out with regard to avocations of the members shown in ration cards of all the registered migrants since 1990, with special focus on schooling of their children. The government should also clear what criterion has been fixed for the migrants other than Kashmiri Pandits to draw relief and rations. Reports suggest that the number of non-Kashmiri Pandit families, registered with the relief organisation, have risen in Budgam district and to some extent in Kulgam, even after the migration. This needs to be ascertained. The credentials of the beneficiaries are needed to be verified afresh, as some of them might be indulging in anti-national activities at their native places. The assumptions may be wrong but nothing bad in being doubly assured. This will also clear as to how many youngsters have got recruited under the special package of the Prime Minister for Kashmiri migrants, as entry of non-eligible candidates amount injustice, not only to the bonafide migrants but the people of Kashmir as well. The government should also notify names of political migrants so that misconception about bigwigs being involved in the scam is cleared.