JAMMU, Dec 15: Displaced families from Chhamb, Deva Watala, Manawar, Bhimber, Kotli, Nah, Bagh, Poonch, Muzafarabad held a massive demonstration at Maheshpura Chowk, here today and courted arrest at Bakshi Nagar Police Station in protest against the Government’s failure to redress their demands. The demonstration was held under the aegis of PoK Refugee Front led by Rashpal Singh its president.
The protestors accused both State and Central Governments of their total failure in solving the problems of the refugees despite their repeated pleas. They alleged that false assurance were given by the Government every time till date and also accused it of misleading them. Besides the GoI has also adopted delaying and denial tactics, they alleged.
They said though GoI sanctioned relief package for non camp DPs of 1947 after directions of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on August 9, 2000, the Provincial Rehabilitation Officer has not started the process of disbursing the relief on the plea that these refugees were not staying in the camps.
They said that ` 68 lakh were sanctioned as relief package for non camp DPs of 1971 five years back for 272 families but the same has not been disbursed till date despite several reminders. The officers have blocked the disbursement of relief for obvious reasons, they alleged.
They also alleged that their plea of paying homage to the martyrs, who laid down their lives in Pak invaders invasion on November 25, 1947 rejected by Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Sanjeev Verma and the general secretary of the Front, Rashpal Singh Chib was put under house arrest.
The protestors blamed the State Government of usurping their Constitutional rights by using force against them and this way they are left with no alternative but to continue their struggle and call for court arrest
No politician with the present state of mind wants to solve any problem of the society as it is going to affect their lively hood. It is like the contractors doing a bad job they have taken up. If they do a fine job they may not get additional work for a long time. So keep the problem simmering and show that they are doing it to uplift them. Again the lawyers keep the cases continued as they can milk the client forever.