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| BJP lobbies for Sainik Colony in Budgam, PDP opposes | | | Muhammad Mukaram
Early Times Report
BUDGAM, Dec 10: The BJP is lobbying with the Sainik Board to establish a Sainik Colony on the lines of one set up in Jammu, in Budgam district of Central Kashmir, a unilateral move by the party without any formal consent by the district administration.
The BJP's ally in the Government, the PDP, has opposed the setting up of Sainik colony on the pretext that there should be no segregation of the J&K State residents, even if they are the ex-servicemen of the army or any other department.
Reliable sources revealed that the idea is the brainchild of BJP leader Tarun Vijay, who has directed the State unit of his party to work hard to make the soldier's colony a reality.
"A group of BJP leaders decided to initiate a process by getting in touch with the Sainik Board headed by Governor NN Vohra. A proposal was mooted with the consent of the Board and forwarded to Governor, who according to BJP leaders, gave a go ahead," a BJP leader said, wishing anonymity.
The Board, he said, started receiving applications on its own. "A committee was formed who identified 200 kanals of land at Friends Colony near Srinagar Airport for the Colony," he said.
BJP's Kashmir affairs in-charge, Ramesh Arora had confirmed that his party was lobbying hard for the Colony. "We have Asia's largest Sainik Colony in Jammu. The idea of having one similar to Jammu's colony in Kashmir that should be spread over at least 400 to 500 kanals of land deserves active consideration," Arora told Early Times.
He said that there should be no harm in establishing a colony for the ex-army men, who have served in Kashmir and are facing lot of problems in terms of accommodation. "In Jammu, we have all local ex-servicemen of the army living in the colony. We are not demanding settlement of outsiders in the colony for which laws need to be amended," said Arora.
He said BJP would soon take up the issue with the PDP and seek a "formal go ahead" on the proposal. "We believe in development and we feel that setting up Sainik Colony is part of our development agenda. There will be no compromise on our development program," Arora said. "The BJP will moot a formal proposal to be discussed in the State Cabinet soon."
According to the residents of Budgam district, the land in Friends Colony belongs to the Government and includes Kah Charai and some Nazool land as well. "Besides, there is a huge land that belongs to locals of Budgam," said Abdul Gaffar Sofi, a resident of Ompora, Budgam. "I also own some ten kanals of land in the backside of Friends Colony. I am not going to transfer my land to anybody as I have kept it for my grandchildren."
Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Altaf Ahmed said they have no proposal of setting up any Sainik Colony. "There is no proposal with us," he said.
"We have no directions from the Government about identifying the land. We have not identified any land for any Colony. It might be an independent initiative by some organization. We are not aware of anything about any colony." He said the district administration Budgam has received no application from any applicant.
Interestingly, the army too has distanced from the development. "I have no idea about the Sainik Colony," a top army official told Early Times.
Sources said that the pressure now mounts on the PDP as to it remains to be seen how it deals with the move. "The Sainik Board has received applications from the ex-servicemen for plots. The applicants include the families of those whose members have died while in army service also," they said. "There are over a hundred applicants who belong to other States of India, who too have applied for the plots."
PDP Chief spokesman Dr Mehboob Beg said that there is no question of setting up colonies. "We are against the segregation. As far as J&K resident, who so ever it is, doors are open to settle down anywhere in the State irrespective of religion or region. But no non-State subject would be allowed to settle in Kashmir," he said. "Laws are not bits and pieces that can be changed every minute. So colonies are not acceptable, rest J&K residents are welcome to live anywhere." |
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