If we are to name one issue that has been bugging the lives of every patriotic common man in India in a way or the other post-independence; it has to be the issue of Kashmir. With the evolution of time, the add-ons right from the forced thrashing out Kashmiri Pandits, utter bloodshed, perpetual section 144 to the illegal intervention of the neighbour has filled many hearts with pain.
We have come way ahead from the year of independence and those of the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. The nation has seen a fair jump from the rags to riches in this span of years and progressed towards betterment. However, in this journey of dreams, we have ignored a set of our own people who have been bearing the wrath of time, disregard of the governments and deprived of the basic rights.
In this fast journey, are we not turning little more than selfish to leave behind our fellow citizens who are forced to live with a tag of migrants? The people who have the roots in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, the people who were once a part of India and fell prey to the dirty tricks of the roguish neighboring country! The same people who now have a place which they are not sure if it is their home, where they can stay but share no association. It is about the PoK refugees who took shelter in India.
Their misery can be well understood from the fact that despite being the residents of the state, they are not given the status of permanent residents in the terms of Jammu and Kashmir Constitution. Although, they have the right to cast their votes for the general elections but the local representation is next to nil as they can not vote in the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. As a result of which, their progress has been constantly marred by the other locals. The are being forced to take a trip to their past time and again which further is harming the national integrity leaving them to be the soft radical targets.
However, the changing times and the efforts of the centre government has finally left them with a reason to cheer up as the Modi government readies a package of 2000 crore Indian rupees for the migrants.
A total of close to 36000 families has been identified by the state government who are supposed to be the receiving end of the package. As a part of this financial relief activity, each family will be receiving 5.5 lakh.
This release is followed by the 2015 statement by the Modi government of few concessions to the refugees of West Pakistan settled in Jammu and Kashmir. Many of these benefits include the conduction of the recruitment drives to introduce these people in the paramilitary forces, fair employment opportunities in the state and the admission of the children in the Kendriya Vidyalayas.
The Home Ministry shall be placing the details of the package for approval in front of the Union Cabinet and further pace the job to provide the benefits to the beneficiaries at the earliest.
The Indian Prime Minister lately supported the cause of Gilgit, Baltistan and PoK while addressing the nation on the Independence Day from the stage of the Red Fort. The declaration of this package is further seen as an incentive to the bereaved section which proves his genuine concerns are not just the gimmicks for the market to follow. Not only this, the government is further looking to invite the delegates from these regions to participate in the next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas scheduled to be held in Bengaluru.
At the same time, the Jammu and Kashmir Sharanarthi Action Committee (JKSAC), claiming itself to be a party in the entire struggle who is representing the dislocated people of PoK has added another statement before the release of the package. It is said that this sum shall not be considered as the only relief and final installment as the expected amount required to settle all of them is 9200 crores.
Over the years, Pakistan has been a prominent reason to unsettle the valley causing unrest and leaving the dead bodies behind. The unethical behaviour of the otherwise poorly reputed country has been a matter which has been seeking the emergent attendance from New Delhi. One question that all of us must ponder upon in a situation like this is that despite owning the land, why are we, the Indians, failing in owning the people of this region? Why are we unable to generate a sense of belonging in the hearts and minds of our brethren who are now a soft target to be radicalized despite seventy years of independence? What is that peculiar matter that allows the mischievous neighbour to be back here time and again?