Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 11: The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) led Union government has seemingly backtracked from its pre-election commitment for rehabilitation and return of Kashmiri Pandits, as after more than one year, since it took reins of government, same has failed to announce any plan or mooted any proposal for return, rehabilitation or providing any compensation for the losses incurred by Kashmiri Pandits.
The Union Home Ministry recently made it clear that there was no proposal for providing compensation for the losses to the Kashmiri Pandits. In response to a question asked by Rajya Sabha Member Parliament, Narayan Lal Pancheraya, Home Minister only spoke about the packages announced by previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, rather than announcing any new package.
In response to question asked by MP, "Whether there is any scheme to compensate the losses incurred by the Kashmiri Pandits, if so, by when this compensation will be given, the details thereof?", the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had replied, "There is no such proposal for providing compensation for the losses incurred by the Kashmiri Pandits. However, any family who would return to the Kashmir Valley is entitled to various incentives/benefits available under the above mentioned Package for the return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri migrants."
Though, the Minister had also stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs has agreed in-principle to provide additional 3000 state government jobs and to construct transit accommodations in the Kashmir valley for the KPs to whom state government jobs have been provided/ will be provided.
But there is no word from Union government for return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits to their native places. All Party Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) Chairman Vinod Pandit said that the KPs had pinned high hopes of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) led Union government and had also voted overwhelmingly but all hopes have seemingly shattered.
"Apart from long struggle for last two decades, I had also observed indefinite hunger strike in Porbandar Gujrat in 2013 for redressal of demands including dialogue with Pakistan for facilitating visits to Sharda Peeth Temple in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, establishment of a Sharda Peeth University in J&K, passing of the pending Kashmir Temples and Shrines Bill and a special employment package for non-migrant Hindus. Narender Modi, who was the then Chief Minister had invited me at his residence and had assured that if BJP would come in power, all demands would be accepted, but after more than one year of government, all hopes have been shattered.
He further said that BJP might have been trying to take credit for increase of monthly cash relief, but it was a routine and was a long pending demand of Kashmiri Pandits. |
