‘Statehood to J&K will be restored soon’
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Dec 27: Maintaining that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is committed to dignified and secure rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits in Valley, party national general secretary and its incharge J&K and Ladakh UTs, Ram Madhav today said that the terms and conditions for the same will be decided by the community.
Paying tributes to martyr Pt Prem Nath Bhat on Chetna Diwas at a function here today organized by Pt Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust (PNBMT), Madhav said “how the community will return to Kashmir will be decided by Pandits themselves but the Government is committed for their safe and secure return”.
“The community has not to make a long wait for their return now as their craving will end soon”, he said, adding “earlier too we have made many efforts in this regard but it did not yield fruit due to various reasons”. Regretting that Pandits being highly educated and an intellectual community became refugees in their own country, the BJP leader said “it is unfortunate that we could not do anything much in last three decades for their rehabilitation in Kashmir though our all sympathies were with the community”.
He candidly admitted that “we could not protect them when they faced atrocities from the hands of anti national forces in Valley that led to their exodus”.
He said the mass migration of the Pandits was the result of atrocities committed on them since eighties and they were subjected to discrimination after the independence of the country.
Madhav said that in the meetings of Sangh every year the resolutions were passed on the displaced Pandits but could not do any thing for their rehabilitation. “Could we say them that Jews struggled for 2000 years for Jerusalem and you too struggle for that period for Kashmir”.? “But in every meeting we were saying them not to forget your motherland and return is your right”.
“Now the situation has changed and you can say with confidence next year in Anantnag, Srinagar and Baramulla that you don’t have to make a long wait for return”, he asserted.
He said BJP had done many efforts for KPs return soon after Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 but it did not materialize. “We became part of PDP Government despite opposition by the people saying that you have joined hands with those who slapped us’. In 2014 we convened a meet with Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and Pandit representatives in Delhi on return issue. Five places were selected for construction of townships for return of the community and it was decided 70 percent Pandits and 30 percent locals will be settled there, he added.
But after the death of Mufti Sayeed situation changed and “We tried to reach the roots as there were some vested elements who were saying that Kashmir is their inherited property so we eroded that status as Kashmir was no body’s ‘Jagir’ but integral part of India”.
“The situation in Kashmir has now completely changed and you will return the way you want to”, he added.
On shrine Bill, he said lot of discussions were held and draft of Bill was also framed during Mufti rule but after his death every thing went topsy-turvy. But now the Bill is on priority and legal point is being discussed, he added.
Maintaining that Hindu shrines will be fully protected, he said some more shrines of Kashmir are also being protected which have a historical and cultural background. On employment package of the community, he said the issue will be discussed and sorted out soon.
Strongly advocating for deletion of M Forms, Madhav said his party took up the issue with Election Commission as they were of the opinion in this digital age there is no need of M-Forms and BJP is for formation of standard digital data of Pandits.
Earlier talking to media persons at BJP headquarters here, Madhav said Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory will be granted Statehood in near future.
He said that people from across the region have welcomed the bold step to remove Article 370 & 35 (a) and other major decisions. The whole region of Jammu & Kashmir has remained most peaceful in these five months reducing civilian causalities to almost nil. “There are also lesser incidents of stone-pelting this year giving impression of modified mindset of youth”, he added.
Madhav said, that many delegations met him in Kashmir comprising of youth and prominent persons. All were hopeful of bright future ahead and wanted to contribute in formation of greater Jammu & Kashmir. “I also witnessed a foot ball camp which gave an impression that the youth of Kashmir want to excel in sports and we will certainly work to fulfill those aspirations”. He said that around 99 percent of students participated in recently held examinations, while earlier many echoed their voice for postponing the exams, which could result in the wastage of one academic year.
Madhav said “We also are in favour of finishing with all the restrictions in the region”. Internet has started in Kargil after Leh. Soon, it will be restored in the regions of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that less than 100 people are in total at present in preventive detention, thus paving way for the full restoration of political activities in the region BJP is also in favour of resumption of political activity in the region soon, he added
Madhav strongly renounced the act of violent demonstrations on the name of Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAA). He said that in CAA, there is nothing against any community. He also mentioned the Citizenship relaxations given to persons earlier as well.
Lambasting the opposition parties, he said that the opposition is misleading the people on the issue. Many refugees are continually getting the citizenship of India under the normal procedure. Only certain relaxation of 5 years is given to minorities of neighbouring nations, he added. When the opposition is being exposed on the issue, they want to link this to NPR trying to destabilize peace in the nation.
NPR has nothing in common with the CAA. Opposition is making false claims on the issue and we condemn this strongly. This is utter political conspiracy hatched to give birth to communal tension in the country, he alleged and said that NPR is the baby of previous UPA Government and the NDA took it forward, which is a normal administrative exercise carried out routinely for making out better schemes. This helps to track movement of civilians in the nation, he added.
Madhav also condemned brutal attacks on police in these violent protests. These are attempts to provoke civilians at the behest of Congress party which is proved by videos viral on the internet. Arson and violence are preplanned as it seems, he added. There was also mention of discrimination with Danish Kaneria in dressing room by Shoaib Akhtar which proves atrocities in Pakistan even at such high platform, he said.
BJP is in favour of granting Statehood to the J&K as early as the conditions permit, he said in a reply and also said that the delimitation will be started soon in the region. He added that the rights of local people will be preserved in the region. In reply to a question, he said that Pakistan cannot alter legal status of occupied regions “as our forces are fully equipped at the border to deal with any eventuality.
Addressing the Prem Nath Bhat function BJP State president, Ravinder Raina took a dig at forces creating communal tension in the country and recalled the role of Kashmiri Pandits in building a public opinion against the Pak sponsored terrorist violence in Kashmir. Raina said it was with the efforts and struggle of Pandits that today discourse on Kashmir has changed.
“Today discourse is PoK which is an integral part of India and where we want to hoist the Tricolor. Our mission is to perform pooja at world famous Sharda Shrine which is under forcible occupation of Pak”, he added.
On the occasion, community speaker and president, K P Sabha ,K K Khosa highlighted the problems of the displaced Pandits demanding passage of Shrines Bill, implementation of PM package in letter and spirit which is hanging in balance for over decade now. He also expressed concern over the plight of the displaced community and stressed on its honourable and dignified rehabilitation.
Besides, he demanded political empowerment of the community, simplification of voting procedure and benefit of Ayushman Bharat to displaced Pandits, enhancement of relief and formation of Advisory Committee on important issues.
On the occasion, two martyr families were given the annual Pt Prem Nath Bhat Samaan. They included martyr Sunil Kumar and his father martyr Sham Lal Pandita of Charri Gam, Pahalgam in Kashmir who were killed by militants in 1990 and children of martyr Narayan Dutt of Reasi who was killed by militants in Kashmir this year.
Their citations were read by Shadi Lal and Chand Ji Bhat respectively. The programme was coordinated by Ramesh Marhata while Astha Zar recited Vande Matram.
The vote of tanks was proposed by Roshan Lal chairman PNBMT.
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