STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Congress on Sunday staged protest against the relief package of Rs 2,000 crore approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for displaced people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Led by Congress Block President and Sarpanch Bhour Camp, Amrit Bali, the activists and PoK refugees residing in Bhor, Chatha, Simbal, Gadigarh, Badyal Brahmana and its adjoining areas assembled at Karan Bagh Chowk in Gandhi Nagar Constituency and raised slogans against Prime Minister Modi. The protesters also blocked the RS Pura-Jammu Road.
Former Minister and senior Congress leader, Raman Bhalla also joined the protest and also addressed the agitating refugees.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhalla said that BJP led NDA Government has betrayed and cheated the refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971 from PoK and those from West Pakistan in the recent package announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for them.
“The refugee families would not get more than one to two lakh of rupees per family now, as per multiplication of the original family. The refugees have already voiced their concern and rejected this amount of Rs 5.50 lakh as final and one time settlement. Moreover, the amount of relief should be released to each family in their respective Tehsil headquarters as their records of allotments are available with their respective Tehsils, whereas, they are being made to run from pillar to post to trace out copies of old records after more than 70 years, which is cumbersome and expensive process,” he added. “The package of one time settlement of refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971 comprising financial assistance/ex-gratia relief of Rs 25 lakhs per family amounting to over Rs 9,000 crore alongwith several other concessions including reservation to their wards was recommended by the previous Congress-NC Coalition Government to the Centre, after hot pursuit by the Congress and various organisation of refugees,” he said.
“The BJP which promised to ensure one time settlement of refugees for PoK including from Chhamb area, Mirpur, Poonch and Muzaffarabad districts under illegal occupation of Pak besides promising citizenship to West Pakistan refugees before the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, has betrayed them after assuming power both at the Centre and sharing the same in the State. Soon after coming to power, the Modi Government had returned the package to the State Government without any reason, adding insult to their injuries,” Bhalla added.
“The categorization of PoK refugees should be based on that year in when they reached here and they should be treated as one group to end the confusion. Unemployed educated PoK refugee youth should be given interest-free loans to enable them to establish their businesses and these youth should also be given some reservation in government jobs. In addition, with regard to those who had their accounts at the Mirpur branch of the J&K Bank, the money lying in this bank should be paid to the account holders or to their legal heirs with interest compounded from 1947,” Bhalla demanded.
“Finally, PoK refugees including those in Bhor, Chatha, Simbal, Gadigarh, Badyal Brahmana, Keerian Gandyal and Raj Bagh should be provided with all civic amenities and health services,” Bhalla demanded.
Among those who participated in the protest include Vishal Charak Sarpanch Old Satwari, Naib Sarpanch Kewal Krishan, General Secretary DCC Gourav Kapoor, Veena Sharma, Gurbachan Kour, Panch Sheru, Sudesh Sharma, Sewa Singh, Mohammad Ashraf, Amir Chand, Bal Krishan, Tatinder Singh, Avtar Singh, Raj Sharma, Youth leaders Sunil Slathia, Ricky,Shashi, Deeraj Bali and Rishab.
