Sharma, Singh roar in Parliament, demands
settlement of Pak refugees
JAMMU,
Mar 15: In a significant political move two Congress Parliament Members (MPs)
representing Jammu region today roared in the
Lok Sabha and highlighted the plight of refugees from West
Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Both MPs Chowdhary
Lal Singh, representing Doda, Kathua and Udhampur Parliamentary Constituency
and Madan Lal Sharma, representing Jammu-Poonch, Parliamentary Constituency,
while participating in the debate that started on a Private Member Business
over the much highlighted issue of "Formulation of an action plan to
rehabilitate displaced from Pakistan", today in Parliament House at New
Delhi, raised numerous issues of Pakistani refugees living a very miserable
life in Jammu region. They didn't hesitate to point out the alleged delay by
State Government of Jammu and Kashmir, in
which Congress party is a junior partner, of preparing a proposal for the
settlement of the refugees and displaced persons.
In
his address MP, Madan Lal Sharma first welcomed the UPA Government for taking
an important initiative towards the Pakistani refugees by preparing an action
plan but he immediately highlighted that majority of refugees including those
of Camp and Non-Camp, West Pakistani as well as displaced people of PoK who are
not refugees but got migrated from one part of the State to another.
While
addressing the chair, (MP) Madan Lal Sharma further pointed out that "when
the entire package has to be delivered by Government of India then why there is
delay at the level of State Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
They (State Government) must take necessary steps in finalizing the proposal
for the settlement of much awaited issue as directed by UPA Government. Still
after 60 years, displaced persons of PoK have not got ownership rights, what to
talk of the plight of West Pakistani refugees."
MP
Chowdhary Lal Singh in his address went ahead and had a better off the State
Government accusing it failing to provide social justice to the refugees and
displaced families, the number of whom is in lakhs. "This lot of population has been exploited for 60 long years and
such a practice must be stopped," voiced Chowdhary Lal Singh and
further questioned that "if any foreigner woman gives a birth to a child
in some other country, her son or daughter is given a citizenship right by that
country or State. But here in Jammu and Kashmir,
there is an irony that the refugees who migrated to India
from Pakistan during 1947
aggression and opted to stay in J&K
State have not been given
the citizenship rights. Among this lot, thousands took birth in J&K and
have passed almost half of their lives here but even then they have not been
conferred with citizenship rights, which are a grave injustice."
The
firebrand Congress leader, Chowdhary Lal Singh further pointed out that
"has the then Chief Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah not stopped the
refugees for further traveling towards Punjab or other neighbouring States, the
refugees would have got their due rights. But as they settled in Jammu and Kashmir after
the assurances by the then Chief Minister that they (refugees) would be
properly settled in the State, they continue to suffer since then." He
further said that "our Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh is an example to
this fact. He was also among West Pakistani refugees and got settled in Punjab State.
He like other refugees got all the benefits and today he is the Prime Minister
of India for the second consecutive term. I urge to Government of India to
direct the State Government to come out with comprehensive proposal in this
regard and there shall not be further delay at its part."
Source: http://earlytimesnews.com/newsdet.aspx?q=106592
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