Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 27: Maintaining that there is a discernible change in the Valley situation, Minister of Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Mohammed Sagar today said that militants and Pakistan have now been exposed and they stand nowhere.
Addressing a function organised in connection with 23rd Chetna Divas observed in memory of Pt Prem Nath Bhat’s martyrdom day at Gandhi College here today, the Minister said that NC patriarch and Union Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah had forecasted way back during the Punjab militancy that it will have its repercussions in Kashmir also and the same happened.
On the occasion Shaheedi Samman was given to two martyrs Avtar Krishan Raina of Avil Kulgam and Badri Nath Dhar of Wandhama. The Samman was received by Shadi Lal and lone survivor of Wandhama carnage Vinod Kumar from the Minister. The citations, were read by Pardeep Kaul.
The Minister while paying tributes to martyr Prem Nath Bhat, said that NC never hesitat “our leader Dr Farooq Abdullah had said that Pakistan which is breeding terrorism will perish some day and that has proved prophetic now. What is happening in Pakistan today is evident ”, he added.
He said NC gave many sacrifices during militancy and the first political leader who fell to bullets of militants was Mohammed Yousf Halwai, block president of the Party who dared to challenge militants and did not put off the lights of his house on Independence Day defying their diktats.
He said the Pandits are the part of Valley’s cultural history and they can never be separated from that. Maintaining that gun was no solution to the problem, he said Kashmir is an issue but the people of Jammu, Ladakh, Pandits and other communities are parties to it and no solution was possible without taking them into confidence.
While commenting on Pandits demands he said, there is nohitch on the part of Government in passage of Shrines and Temples Bill but there are certain factors which are creating hurdles in its passage.
He said the proposal for relief enhancement has already been passed and the legal barriers in employment package have also been removed by dereserving the posts.
Earlier Prof R L Shant a eminent scholar highlighted the problems of the displaced people and appealed the Government to fulfill its promise on passage of temples Bill, implementation of PM’s package by demanding the share from state for the community, providing of mediclaim insurance, release of remaining portion of ex-gratia for gutted houses, extending all facilities to inmates of Jagti which they were provided in erstwhile camps, enhancement of cash relief and many other related demands of the community.
The welcome address was read by Dr Arjan Nath Pandita chairman of the Trust.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
