BJP can’t withstand separatist pressure, says refugee leader : The Tribune India

Join Whatsapp Channel

BJP can’t withstand separatist pressure, says refugee leader

JAMMU: Although BJP national president Amit Shah has promised to grant citizenship rights to the West Pakistan refugees within six months, chances of restoring constitutional right of this “stateless” displaced community remains bleak as similar promises had been made by various political groups in the past too.



Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Services

Jammu, May 5

Although BJP national president Amit Shah has promised to grant citizenship rights to the West Pakistan refugees within six months, chances of restoring constitutional right of this “stateless” displaced community remains bleak as similar promises had been made by various political groups in the past too.

The national parties, be it the Congress or the BJP, have repeatedly made such promises with the West Pakistan refugees, but these parties failed to withstand the pressure of separatist groups and Kashmir centric parties on this issue.

“The BJP has a decisive mandate at the Centre and the party is a partner of the ruling coalition in J&K so there is no reason to set a six-month deadline to solve our problem,” said Ramesh Singh, a West Pakistan refugee leader.

“It is just a delaying tactic. The BJP lacks guts to withstand pressure of separatist groups,” Singh alleged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while kick-starting election campaign for the Lok Sabha elections from the border town of Hiranagar on March 26 last year, had vociferously supported the demand of citizenship rights to the West Pakistan refugees. But after attaining power the BJP “shamelessly” forgot these “helpless refugees”.

Citizenship rights to these refugees was the focal point of BJP’s election campaign in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, but when it came to the Assembly elections this humane issue mysteriously disappeared from the party’s electioneering.

In its “Vision Document” released on November 27, 2014, the BJP brazenly dumped the issue to win over Kashmir.

Expressing his concern over the plight of West Pak refugees putting up in J&K for the last over 65 years, Modi at his Hiranagar rally had stated that they (West Pak refugees) had been deprived of the citizenship rights.

“There is no country in the world where refugees have been deprived of basic fundamental right,” Modi had said.

“Why basic fundamental rights were being denied to West Pakistan refugees who have been living in J&K since 1947?” he had asked, adding, “Illegal Bangladeshi migrants have been given all rights, but these poor refugees are deprived of their constitutional right.”

During the parliamentary elections the BJP had tried to project itself as the champion of West Pakistan refugees’ cause, but after getting 25 seats in the Assembly elections the party mellowed down its stand on the “emotive issue”.

Kashmir-centric parties are of the view that West Pakistan from where these refugees had migrated during partition was not a part of Jammu and Kashmir.

They argue that as per Article 370 and the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, no non-state resident can get state subject or voting right.

They term the attempt to grant citizenship right to West Pakistani refugees as a “wicked conspiracy” to temper with the special status of J&K.

Top News

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

Delhi High Court dismisses PIL to remove Arvind Kejriwal from CM post after arrest

The bench refuses to comment on merits of the issue, saying ...

US makes another remark on Kejriwal's arrest, reacts to freezing of Congress bank accounts

US makes another remark on Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, reacts to freezing of Congress bank accounts

We encourage fair, transparent and timely legal processes, s...

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, wife Gurpreet Kaur welcome baby girl

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann blessed with baby girl

Bhagwant Mann tied the knot with Dr Gurpreet Kaur from Pehow...


Cities

View All