Jammu: It is high time to introspect for those raising voice against pro-Jammu and pro-India sentiments and this time the victims are West Pakistani Refugees (WPRs) who are fighting for their right of citizenship since decades after partition but neither the Kashmir based political parties nor the separatists, stood by them in their genuine and civilised fight.
West Pakistani Refugees who never adopted the gun culture but were on agitational path to achieve their goal with “begging bowl” before the state and the centre to attain the citizenship, unfortunately, years after they were put on radar of the “anti-national” voices in the Kashmir Valley.
Moreover, the Kashmiri leadership vis-a-vis anti-India, anti-Jammu thought bearing bunch of fundamentalists need to understand that on one hand they are opposing citizenship right to WPRs but on the other, Jammu-the land of secular forces-every year keeps accommodating thousands of Kashmiris during annual Darbar Move, who shift to the winter capital due to unprecedented chill and cold in the Valley.
It is not only the hundreds of Valley based Darbar Move employees shifting every year to Jammu but the population of Kashmir to prevent them from cold conditions, march towards the ‘City of Temples’ thus adding to Jammu populace.
“It is really unfortunate and shocking that the people of Kashmir, who spit venom against India, every year take shelter in Jammu on Darbar Move but continue opposing citizenship rights to the WPRs, who are fighting for it since decades,” a social activist said. He said that the population of refugees’ braving the bloodbath of partition, after migrating from Pakistan’s Sialkot to villages in Jammu hoped for a better future but after 70 years, they are still knocking at the Supreme Court’s door protesting denial of permanent resident status, right to education, employment and voting in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Jammu and its people are “big hearted” and the people of Kashmir especially the fundamentalists including the Hurriyat lobby must understand that they are and will remain connected to this part and no power can separate them,” a law maker added.
He said that on no basis, citizenship right to the West Pakistan Refugees can be denied, adding, “after nearly seven decades, they have constitutionally become citizens of the state, so what is the fun in denying them the document.”
“How it can be digested that the Kashmiris, who are opposing rights to WPRs will agree and welcome displaced Kashmir Pandits with open minds and hearts,” he added.
Jammu and Kashmir Government on December 22 said that West Pakistan Refugees identity certificates would be in the same format as exists in the voter list for the Parliamentary polls.
“Reports are deliberately being circulated to destabilize the situation and hit the political and economic interests of the people,” official spokesman in a statement issued here said.
“It seems an orchestrated and misleading campaign has been launched to create an impression that the Government is changing the status of the WPR and they are being provided domicile certificates,” Minister for Education and State Government Spokesman, Naeem Akhtar had said in a statement.
Akhtar said the refugees who settled in Jammu and Kashmir, in the aftermath of the partition of the subcontinent, include those from PoK and West Pakistan.
“While the refugees from PoK have the status of the permanent residents of the State, those from West Pakistan are not entitled to permanent residence as they are not the domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said and added that given their present status, the West Pakistan Refugees are entitled to vote in the Parliament elections, but can’t exercise their franchise in the state assembly polls.
A day after government’s announcement, separatists objected to the reported move by the Jammu and Kashmir Government to give domicile certificates to West Pakistan refugees, saying it was an attempt to change the demography of the state.
The separatists slammed the ruling PDP over the issue asserting that these are manoeuvers to change the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.
Issuing domicile certificates to West Pakistan refugees, (Supreme) Court verdict challenging the sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir and allowing outside banks to confiscate and hold properties in the state are the issues of life and death for our existence as Muslims and Kashmiris, the separatists said.
Convener Jammu For India and political analyst expressed that Jammu and Kashmir is at the verge of division.
“It has become clear that not only separatists but the regional parties are also against the decision of docile rights to WPRs,” he added and said that people of Jammu have realised the truth and now they will not vote to BJP, PDP, NC or Congress.
He however, said that situation is alarming and it is a wake-up call for the people of Jammu.