Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 2: Former Minister and PCC vice president Raman Bhalla today said that targeting civilians by the Pakistani troops is major cause of concern and the Government must take affective steps to provide safe shelters the innocent border people facing heavy shelling.
While interacting with ex-servicemen in Chatha area of Gandhi Nagar constituency today, the former Minister said that many civilians have lost their lives, farmers suffered losses in terms of their live stock and properties and houses. Massive migration has taken place and the people migrating should be rehabilitated at the safer places.
Referring to One Rank One Pension, the Congress leader said it is an emotional issue. The Government must take early decision on the concerns of the ex-servicemen. It is the question of the honor for thousands of retired soldiers and their families. “We must not forget that our war veterans have served this country under the trying conditions,” Mr Bhalla added.
Congress leaders reiterated his deep concern over the escalation of attacks on civilians in border areas in an unethical way, amid inhumane and dire conditions caused by the siege. “Pakistan has crossed all limits to terrorise Indian civilian population and disregarding international conventions and norms. Pakistan has been violating cease fire agreement along the Line of Control and International Border,” he added.
Mr Bhalla further said that tens of thousands of border villagers in Jammu and Kashmir have been forced out of their homes to take shelter in makeshift accommodations after shelling from across the border with Pakistan killed at least 19 people, including 11 civilians, in the past few weeks. Some 25,000 villagers are estimated to have left their houses in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts close to the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border that divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan. He said nearly 300 schools in villages and towns along the IB have been closed till further orders after Pakistan started targeting civilian areas.
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