Suchetgarh: Lambasting previous NC, PDP and Congress governments for their failure to grant compensation to over 15 lakh refugees from PoK in Jammu region, BJP today said it is committed to address the problems of all categories of refugees in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Over 15 lakh refugees from Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoK) have still not received the compensation promised to them by successive governments (of NC, PDP and Congress)", Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh said today.
"BJP is categorical in its stand to provide a special package for this category of refugees and reserve four out of 24 Assembly seats in lieu of the part of state under illegal Pak occupation", he said.
Addressing a series of public meetings at Dindeykalan, Baas Pur Bangla and other places in R S Pura and Suchetgarh assembly constituencies here, Singh said BJP is committed to address the problems of all categories of refugees in J&K and accused the National Conference (NC) and Congress of misleading people and spreading disinformation about BJP's stand on the issue.
He said throughout last six decades even when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not in power, it has consistently struggled for the rights of refugees.
Singh alleged the NC-Congress coalition in the state sought to play mischief by sending to the Centre a demand for a package for PoK refugees just when the model code of conduct was about to be imposed.
"If the National Conference-Congress government was genuinely sincere to address the problem of PoK refugees, why did it have to wait for six long years," he asked.
The truth is that the NC-led government never wanted to benefit these refugees because it did not consider them a part of their vote bank and therefore simply as a mere cosmetic gesture, it sent the request to the Centre at a time when the request could not have been fulfilled, he added.
However, he emphasised, soon after the model code of conduct is over, the BJP-led Narendra Modi government at the Centre will follow-up on this issue in right earnest and with full sincerity.
The Union minister alleged that the West Pakistan refugees have also not been granted their citizenship and voting rights over the last 66 years, because the successive ruling parties in the state were not confident of securing their mandate in the Assembly elections.
As far as the displaced Kashmiri Pandit (KP) community is concerned, Singh said even while in opposition the BJP constantly worked for their rehabilitation and even today, the Party strives for their safe and dignified return to the Valley.
Referring to R S Pura as a land of brave soldiers and courageous people, he said due to its close proximity to the Indo-Pak border, the people here act as custodians of Indian territory all through the year and have set an example of holding the forte even in most hostile situations resulting from cross-border firing and infiltrations.
The entire Indian nation holds the people of this area in high regard, he added and also paid glowing tributes to the Army and Paramilitary forces which have always stood by the people of this area in most adverse circumstances, he said.
Emphasising BJP's concern for Dalits, scheduled castes and weaker sections , Singh said the Government of India under Narendra Modi had many plans which could not be implemented because of lack of cooperation by the state government for which he said, it was essential to have BJP in the state as well so that it could ensure close coordination with the government at the Centre.
