Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Oct 6: The monthly meeting of the West Pakistani refugees was held, at Vijaypur near here, today which was chaired by their president Labba Ram Gandhi.
Addressing the meeting, Labba Ram Gandhi said that despite abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 A nothing has changed for the West Pak refugees and they still face harassment at the hands of the officers of Revenue Department.
He said recently in the recruitment of Territorial Army at Bari Brahmana, the West Pak refugee children were asked to produce the State Subject certificate otherwise their forms will not be entertained.
He said it is strange when the Army does not demand State Subject certificates for the recruitment of West Pak refugees why the Territorial Army demands the State Subjects. He said this way the refugees are deliberately being harassed.
Gandhi said even in sanctioning the scholarships for SC children the forms of West Pak refugees’ children are not entertained because the concerned Revenue authorities are not issuing their SC certificates on the pretext that their names don’t figure in Revenue records.
He said the problem is especially created on the level of Tehsildars and Naib-Tehsildars. Even the compensation sanctioned by Government is not released and files are pending in the Revenue offices as Revenue authorities want verification in voter lists of 1951 and 1957 and despite the directives of the Advisor concerning they are not clearing the files.
He said the officers at Tehsildars and Naib Tehsildars level still work on the behest of Kashmiri leadership and they continue to harass the refugees.
Moreover, he alleged that in the recruitment that is being made in the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the citizenship identity (PRC) of Jammu and Kashmir is being sought from our children of West Pak refugees. He warned that in case this discriminatory attitude of the authorities still continues towards the refugees they will be forced to come to streets and launch a forceful agitation.
He said on the one hand Government claims that West Pak refugees will be treated at par with other citizens of J&K after abrogation of Articles 35-A and 370 but on the ground nothing has changed for them which is cause of concern for the refugees.
Gandhi also demanded immediate intervention of Union Government in the matter and has appealed the Union Home Minister, Amith Shah to look into the issue so that the hapless refugees will get justice.
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