Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 17: The PoK displaced families today took out protest rally and staged dharna in front of the office of Deputy Commissioner in support of their demands.
The displaced families under the banner of J&K PoK Refugee Front—1947, 1965 and 1971 gathered at Peer Kho this morning and took out a protest rally towards the offices of Deputy Commissioner and Provincial Rehabilitation Officer where they staged dharna.
Led by president Rachhpal Singh, the protesting refugees raised slogans against the National Conference-Congress Coalition Government for its failure to provide comprehensive settlement package to the families uprooted in three wars between India and Pakistan in 1947, 1965 and 1971.
“The State Government being run by the Valley-based political parties has been playing fox to provide compensation of the home and hearth, movable and immovable properties, social-educational-employment avenues and due share in Assembly and Parliament”, they said, adding “the bureaucratic inaction in implementing the decisions of the Central and State Governments is responsible for continuous injustice with us”.
They alleged that Deputy Commissioner, Provincial Rehabilitation Officer, Divisional Commissioner and Revenue Secretary were responsible for not getting the directions of the Government implemented, adding “the silence on the part of the Chief Minister explains his real intentions. It seems that he is not ready to see the refugees of Jammu region financially, socially, educationally and professionally sound”.
Despite Divisional Commissioner’s directions issued in December 2012 the Provincial Rehabilitation Officer and Deputy Commissioner Jammu have not brought out notification inviting applications forms for grant of compensation in lieu of deficiency of land/plots from the left out families of 1947, 1965 and 1971 refugees.
Referring to the Government order dated May 17, 2013 whereby Additional Commissioner Jammu was nominated as Nodal Officer to consolidate the details of genuine refugees of 1965 and 1971 and identify the area where such refugees are facing the problems, they said, “it is unfortunate that State Government has not bothered to include DPs of 1947 despite the fact that they have remained unregistered till date and couldn’t avail the benefits of their displacement for last 66 years”.
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