Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 25: A delegation of the All Jammu and Kashmir Jatt Sabha called on the Dy Chief Minister, Surinder Kumar Choudhary, in Jammu and discussed with him the issues confronting the Jatt community in the Union Territory.
The delegation was led by its president and former Minister, Manjit Singh. During the meeting, Manjit Singh discussed key issues faced by the Jatt community in Jammu and Kashmir for decades. He demanded that these long-pending issues be addressed by the J&K Government for the welfare of the community, which has remained ignored for years.
Singh highlighted the border-related issues faced by border dwellers, particularly Jatts and Displaced Persons (DPs). He said that these people are not given compensation for the land they have held for decades whenever such properties are taken over by defence forces, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), or for other developmental projects undertaken by the Government.
“The injustice must stop, and people should be given compensation at par with the market value of their land,” he said, while demanding the transfer of proprietary rights to DP Jatts.
He further stated that the majority of the Jatt population lives in the border belt and has been displaced several times due to wars between India and Pakistan. Despite this, they continued to settle in the border areas of the Jammu region, including Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri, and Poonch. This community has served in the military and paramilitary forces. He opposed Agniveer Scheme and demanded its withdrawal.
Singh also raised the issue of reservation benefits for OBC Jatt youth in Central Government jobs and sought the intervention of the Jammu and Kashmir Government in this regard.
After giving the delegation a patient hearing, the Dy CM expressed his gratitude to the Jatt leaders and assured them of the Omar Abdullah-led Government’s support.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were Chief patron and former MP Tarlok Bajwa; senior vice president and former Minister Garu Choudhary; senior vice president DDC Suchetgarh Taranjit Singh Tony; vice president and MLA Vikram Randhawa; former Corporator and District president Jammu Urban Dwarka Choudhary and others.
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