Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 21: Languishing as refugees in their own country for last 26 years now, the “honorable and dignified ‘’ return and rehabilitation of internally displaced Kashmiri Pandits to their homes and hearths has become a “catch phrase’’ for every politician and successive government representatives have totally failed to take concrete steps in this regard till date.
This was stated by R K Bhat president Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS) while talking to reporters along with senior office bearers of the organization here today.
He said several commitments were made to Kashmiri Pandits by successive Central and State governments from time to time but to no avail.
The much talked about PM’s return and rehabilitation package including 6000 jobs announced by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh way back in April 2008 has turned out to be a cruel joke with community, he added.
Bhat said that out of 6000 posts about 2000 posts have been filled up till date. The Government has failed to take cognizance of KPs plight and the court judgment in favour of 221 displaced educated youth has not been implemented in last 18 months.
Taking the Government to task, he said even the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) judgments in this regard were ignored by the callous administration.
Bhat said this has generated a lot of resentment among the displaced Pandits who alleged that delaying of the employment package for years together showed its non seriousness towards the welfare of the community.
He said the displaced Pandits are fighting for their rights from last three decades and two generations have passed away but those at the helm of affairs have taken us totally for granted and they are least bothered to save this one of the oldest civilizations of the country who have made tremendous contribution to Indian aesthetics right from Puranic period.
Lambasting the State Government the YAIKS leaders asked what steps it took and what blue print it has framed over the years for rehabilitation of the displaced people after their forced exodus from Valley.
They demanded that PM’s package for KPs be restructured, redesigned and revised after making thorough discussions with the genuine representatives of the community.
“ We were optimistic about the Union Government led by Narendra Modi but it also betrayed us’’, they said.
The YAIKS will start direct action for the rights of displaced Pandits and organize protest demonstrations, hold workshops and seminars on plight of displaced people, said Bhat.
Others present were Shuban Ji Koul, D N Bhat, P N Pandita, Bushan Lal Koul, Shiv Kumar Dass, P N Koul and O N Dhar all advisory members YAIKS.
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