MHA PSC meets today to discuss migrants, refugees issues

Avtar Bhat
NEW DELHI, July 29: Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, headed by BJP senior leader and former national president of the Party Vainkaya Naidu is meeting here tomorrow to discuss the various issues confronted by the people of trouble torn State of J&K.
According to sources, the meeting among various issues faced by the people of the strife torn State will discuss the problems confronted to Kashmiri migrants who are leading an exiled life for last 24 years in Jammu and other parts of Valley, problems faced by West Pakistani refugees who have been deprived of citizenship rights for last over 60 years, problems of PoK refugees, Chhamb refugees and terrorism affected people of Jammu region.
Sources said, besides, the members of the Committee representing various political parties, representatives of Union Home Ministry led by Home Secretary Anil Goswami, representatives of J&K Government led by Revenue Secretary, Vinod Koul , representatives of Delhi Government led by its Chief Secretary, representatives of various Kashmiri Pandit organisations, West Pak refugees, PoK refugees and terrorism affected people will attend the meeting.
Sources said the Chief Secretary of the State, Iqbal Khandey who was earlier scheduled to head the State Government delegation in the meeting would not attend it due to his preoccupation with other official engagements. However, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner on Kashmiri migrants, R K Pandita is also attending the meeting.
Sources said the meeting among other things will threadbare discuss the Prime Minister’s return and rehabilitation package for Kashmiri migrants, grant of citizenship rights to West Pak refugees, compensation issue of PoK refugees for their left over properties and other related issues of terrorism affected people of Jammu region who have suffered a lot through the hands of militants in over two decade long militancy violence in the State.
Sources said delay in the implementation of the much talked about PM’s employment package which was a prelude to return of the displaced Pandits to Valley will also come for discussion during the meeting. Among other issues about the Kashmir migrants which will come up for discussion include regularization of migrant teachers working in Delhi Government schools and payment of ration to relief holders of Delhi at par with migrants putting up in Jammu etc.
Sources said the meeting will try to find out causes of delay in implementation of PM’s employment package which was announced in year 2008 by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh while addressing a public meeting at Jammu as out of 6000 posts under the package only 1400 posts were filled up till date.
Sources said the meeting will seek the opinion of migrant representatives on the return formula of the Government and also try to find out the reasons from J&K Government representatives for delay in implementation of PM’s employment package.
Sources said the representatives of KP organizations are camping in Union Capital since yesterday and they also held a meeting among themselves this evening to discuss the modus operandi to be adopted in tomorrow’s meeting to put up a united front before the Government.
However some factions of KP organisations including which represented Panun Kashmir faction led by Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo and that of All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) led by H L Chatta and Delhi Samiti led by Rakesh Kaul said that they will not support the return formula as it will be inimical to the community interests in the given situation in the Valley where there is no let up in terrorist violence.
However, they said, they will discuss the other related issues of the community including removal of draconian laws from employment package and its implementation in letter and spirit. They said they will also show their concern in tomorrow’s meeting over the failure of State Government in implementing the land mark recommendations made by the parliamentary Standing Committee on migrants from time to time.
Meanwhile, a review meeting of the Union Home Ministry with J&K Government officers was held yesterday in which the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting was discussed threadbare, sources said.
Sources said the leaders of displaced KP organizations who were invited in tomorrow’s meeting included H L Chatta president ASKPC, Ashwani Kumar Chrungoo, president PK, Moti Kaul president AIKS, H N Jatu, president, AIKPC, Rakesh Kaul, president KSD, K K Khosa, President K P Sabha, Virender Raina, spokesman PK, T N Razdhan president, JKVM and S Prem Sing president, displaced Kashmiri Sikh Forum.
Sources said BJP leader Bali Bhagat who is convener of Tehreek -e-Insaf and its co convener and senior BJP leader Vibodh Gupta will represent the terrorism affected people of Jammu region, Labha Ram Gandhi will represent the West Pak refugees, Dr Narinder Singh and Ashok Kumar Khajuria will represent PoK refugees and Capt (retd) Rashpal Singh will represent Chhamb refugees.
Sources said the National Panthers Party supremo Prof Bhim Singh has also been extended invitation to attend the meeting.