Govt moots ‘Border Bhawans’, reservations
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 25: After Ramzan ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir announced by the Centre Government, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today batted for ceasefire on the borders so that people on both sides (India and Pakistan), who were getting killed in shelling and firing, live in peace. She charged Pakistan with not stopping infiltration of militants and ceasefire violations on the borders even during the holy month of Ramzan.
Mehbooba also announced construction of ‘Border Bhawans” for the people of forward villages with all facilities including schooling inside, where they could live during difficult times and assured that her Government would seriously consider their demand for Line of Control (LoC) like reservations to the people living on International Border (IB).
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Speaking to reporters and inter-acting with border dwellers after tour of border areas and relief camps in RS Pura and Samba sectors, which had been rocked by Pakistan shelling and firing leading to 12 fatal casualties including 10 civilians and two BSF jawans and injuries to more than 50 others, the Chief Minister said: “ We were hoping that after internal ceasefire announced in Jammu and Kashmir by the Centre Government, Pakistan will reciprocate by stopping infiltration of militants and ensuring peace on the borders. In the pious month of Ramzan, people even don’t speak loudly. But our neighbour is shelling the villages’’.
Invoking former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who had first announced ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir in November 2000 and then along the borders in November 2003 and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who used to say that guns won’t resolve the problem but the talks will, Mehbooba said it was high time that ceasefire is enforced on the borders like Jammu and Kashmir to let the people of either side live in peace.
“The people are suffering on both sides of the borders due to shelling and firing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a bold step by enforcing ceasefire in the internal areas. To end sufferings of the people, there should be ceasefire on the borders,’’ she added.
Castigating Pakistan for ceasefire violations and abetting infiltration of militants on the borders, Mehbooba said Pakistan despite being a Muslim nation was killing people in the holy month of Ramzan. “When the Central Government gave relief to Jammu and Kashmir by announcing ceasefire in the State in the month of Ramzan, we were hoping that Pakistan will cooperate. But, the reverse happened. Pakistan neither stopped infiltration nor the firing, causing problems to the people,’’ she regretted and called upon Pakistan to play its role in stopping infiltration and firing.
Mehbooba said Pakistan is a poor country and should use money on development instead of bombs.
After November 2000 ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, which was withdrawn in May 2001 due to spurt in violence during Vajpayee-led NDA Government, then Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali had on November 23, 2003 announced ceasefire on the borders, which was reciprocated by the then Vajpayee Government. The ceasefire on borders had come into force on November 26, 2003.
Though the ceasefire is still in place with none of the two neighbours officially withdrawing it, it was being violated with impunity by Pakistan on both Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), which was retaliated by the Indian troops.
Expressing regrets over the civilian killings on the border, Mehbooba, however, said that there was not much in hands of the State Government to stop the firing but promised the border dwellers that the State Government will play its role and do whatever they can to help them.
The Chief Minister said the Government would consider construction of ‘Border Bhawans’ in the urban areas with schooling facilities where the people from forward villages can live during difficult times. She said her Government would also consider the demand for LoC like reservations to the people living on the International Border. She said a battalion in police would be raised exclusively for the youth of border areas.
On these demands, she added that her Government would also take some decisions and will take up the issue with the Union Home Minister (Rajnath Singh) also.
Responding to people’s demands, she said the local hospital at RS Pura would be equipped with more facilities and manpower and local Veterinary unit will also be provided facilities. She handed over cheques of Rs one lakh each to the kin of those killed in the cross-border shelling in Samba and RS Pura sectors, which was over and above the ex-gratia extended to them by the divisional administration. She also announced one job each for the Pakistani shelling victims.
At RS Pura, Mehbooba visited ITI College, Satraiyan and Agriculture Farm, Chakroi while in Samba, she met the border migrants at Chichi Mata temple and Radha Swami Satsang Ghar.
PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Sham Choudhary and BJP MLA from RS Pura, Dr Gagan Bhagat accompanied Mehbooba to RS Pura while Health and Medical Education Minister Dr Devender Manyal and BJP MLA from Hiranagar Kuldeep Kumar joined the Chief Minister to Samba. Minister for Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Javaid Mustafa Mir accompanied the Chief Minister.
Mehbooba met family members of some of the shelling victims.
Chief Secretary BB Vyas, Home Secretary RK Goyal, DGP Dr SP Vaid, Principal Secretary to CM Rohit Kansal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Hemant Sharma, IGP Jammu Dr SD Singh Jamwal, SSP Jammu Vivek Gupta, SSP Samba Anil Magotra and SP Headquarters Romesh Kotwal joined the Chief Minister’s tour of border areas.
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