Six decades and six years after they were extirpated from their original homes in PoK or West Pakistan, 12 lakh united segment of refugees, border migrants and displaced persons along LoC and IB converged into a strong constituency for the PCC chief, Prof. Soz. He led them to the august presence of the Home Minister, Prime Minister and the Congress Chief, and pleaded their case strongly so as to elicit a commitment from them that a high level central committee would be framed to examine their demands, financial assistance and compensation, employment in central services and provision for land etc… Loud pleas of the affected people during past sixty-six years were nothing but a cry in wilderness. The presence of senior Congress leadership —now in coalition with the NC— in the high-power delegation that called on national leadership was a message to the top leadership that the party has keen to take-up issues pertaining to the electorate at levels. The Congress Party which is leading the UPA Government at Centre should initiate all possible steps to ameliorate the plight of these citizens of the country. It may be mentioned in passing that Prime Minister’s 2008 package of 1618 crore rupees for rehabilitation of J&K migrants and refugees encompass the refugees from PoK, West Pakistan and border migrants also. However, not much has been done towards redressing the grievances of these 12 lakh persons in Jammu region, even after 66 years of suffering.
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