Domicile for DPs settled outside demanded
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 6: Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC) expressed its strong resentment over the notification issued by GoI defining the Domicile Law wherein it has been prescribed a condition of 15 years stay in UT of J&K or having PRC for issuance of Domicile certificate. It looks a casual exercise lacking logic as it failed to draw line between people from other parts of the country and bonafide DPs settled outside the UT of J&K who had no PRCs and never felt any need for the same.
Gurdev Singh, president JKSAC said that criteria of 15 years period for issuance of Domicile certificate could be justified for the people from the other parts of the country, but how this can be applicable in case of bonafide permanent resident of J&K settled outside for one reason or other particularly 5300 families of DPs of PoK who are the bonafide residents of J&K from centuries together. These families went out of the State in search of food and shelter after 1947 turmoil due to the negligent attitude of erstwhile State dispensations as well as GoI. It was moral as well as legal responsibility of both the Governments to give them an opportunity and space to come back and settle here in the State. But nothing happened as such in their case.
He further said that after abrogation of Article 370, Article 35 A and creation of two UTs, the news started appearing in media that the GoI is under process to frame the Domicile Law for various purposes. Keeping in view the apprehensions that DPs residing outside the UT may not miss the bus again like the relief package of Rs 5.5 lakh, which is yet to be released in their favour. A delegation of JKSAC had called on Lt. Governor, G.C. Murmu on 30-01-2020, apprising him of the apprehensions through a memorandum, with a copy to Home Minister and Home Secretary of India, regarding the DPs settled outside the State besides other issues.
He was urged to impress upon the MHA to exempt such DPs settled outside from this 15 years stay condition on the basis of being a bonafide resident of J&K while enacting the Domicile rules. It is a great irony that timely presentation in this regard has not been considered.
He assured that the DPS that this time Government would not be allowed to deprive them of their birth right of being Domicile. He urged upon LG, G C Murmu, both the MPs from Jammu region, Ravinder Raina State BJP president and Ram Madhav to take up the issue with the MHA in priority for necessary amendment in the order to serve justice to these unfortunate people.
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