Jammu, October 22, 2020: S. O. S. International – An Organization for PoK Displaced Persons today organized Black Day as usual and people from every district Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Poonch and Gilgit participated to pay homage to the martyrs those who made supreme sacrifices to defend the state against the attack made by Pakistani Army and invaders to snatch the then Jammu & Kashmir state for demographic change.
The programmes was organized under the leadership of Rajiv Chuni Chairman and other prominent persons who spoke on the occasion are included Prof NN Sharma, VK Datta, Parmod Ghai, Ved Raj Bali, Bhai Ram Singh, Amarjeet Singh, Romi Sharma and others.
Black Day started by paying floral tributes to martyrs of Genocide. Two minutes silence have been observed in the memory of those who had made supreme sacrifices to save the State of Jammu & Kashmir, besides a Sarav Dharma Prarthana (All religious prayer) too organized as a mark of respect. It is pertinent to mention that on this fateful day in 1947 the first bullet was fired on the chest of the PoK DPs created hurdles in the advancement of Tribal and Pakistan Regulars to invade the State thus it is treated as black day in the history of Jammu & Kashmir in which 70000 unarmed civilians were butchered, women were abducted, raped and horrible atrocities were perpetrated.
While addressing the gathering, the chairman Rajiv Chuni said that it is a matter of proud for our community because we are the saviour of Jammu & Kashmir State from the clutches of the Pakistani army and invaders (the then terrorists) but at the same moment we have agony & anguish that progenies of the saviour community are in dilapidated situation and still they are languishing in unhygienic camps. He said that in the world history there is no such worse example that people are left to languish in camps which are totally lacking of facilities to live that too for more than 7 decades without any help or aid and their third generation is suffering now.
Elaborating about the work done in past to get the relief package passed by the then Omar Abdullah Government, Mr Chuni said that S. O. S. International has put many efforts and worked hard to get the relief package passed by the State Cabinet. He said that the J&K State Cabinet proposed Rs 25 lakh as ex-gratia grant to each family of 1947, reservation to the wards of PoK DPs in professional and technical education colleges and 8500 government jobs for the unemployed educated youths of PoK DPs. He expressed his surprise that Government of India has not even touched the second and third components of the recommendations of the J&K State Cabinet but only first component of the package has been partially executed, which itself is a joke with the PoK DPs. He further said that Government of India only sanctioned Rs 2000 crore out of Rs. 9096 crore recommendation in 2016 and till date only Rs 600 crore has been distributed and Rs 1400 crore is still pending to be distributed, which speaks in volume about the seriousness of government towards PoK DPs. He termed the package of Rs 2000 crore and its distributing practice as a process of slow poisoning to the DPs.
Reminding the Government of India for often making tall claims in respect of PoK, he said that every functionary of time and again pronouncing that it (PoK) is part of India but even failed to stop the CPEC (China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor) as they are spreading railway lines and roads though our ancestral lands and house properties in PoK, which is a serious matter and have no courage to stop them. He said that it is not the first time that China and Pakistan entered in such unholy alliance but in past too both the countries have already constructed Dams and Projects in the areas of PoK. “If PoK is integral part of India then it is not our duty to proscribe Pak and China for any sort of construction in the locality”, he added. Chuni elaborated that if Government of India retrieves Gilgit-Baltistan then it is amount to be half the work has been done for the safety of the country. He further said that if Government of India successfully proscribes the CPEC then it is amounted to be avenged.
Expressing pangs and plights of his community, he said that Government of India has treated the PoK DPs shabbily this is a very disappointing conduct on the side of Indian government. He said that PoK DPs are bonafide citizens of Jammu & Kashmir and article 370 & 35A have never remained adverse to them (PoK DPs) despite this we supported the scrapping of Article 370 & 35A because we were told that after scrapping of these two articles PoK DPs will get equal facilities as Valley Migrants are already getting but the discrimination got doubled, which has glared in ‘Back to Village’ programmes. He further said that JK UT administration have extended 17 centrally sponsored schemes to the Valley Migrants at their door steps during ‘Back to Village’ – 3 programme but not a single scheme has been executed in the PoK DPs camps during. He said that besides LG all the Administrative Secretaries of JKUT reached to valley migrants’ camps but not a single senior officer have been deputed to PoK DPs camps, which itself speaks in volume about the well thought discrimination of state administration wreaked to PoK DPs.
Mr. Chuni urged the Government of India to implement the whole package which has been passed by the Omar Abdullah government in toto without more loss of time. He asked the government to set up Valley Migrants like Satellite Town in and around Jammu for PoK DPs who are languishing in unhygienic Camps for the last more than 7 decades so that they may feel that a sense of belonging. While divulging about the Act – ‘Land to the Tiller’, Chuni said that although it was not meant for PoK DPs but the revenue authorities in connivance with the tillers snatched the lands of PoK DPs and made the PoK DPs again totally landless. Ridiculing he said that despite the clear cut order of the division bench of the Hon’ble J&K High Court that the lands of PoK DPs cannot be covered under this act but revenue authorities are not implementing this order in the absence of Administrative Order in this regard. He urged the Lt Governor to immediate come up with Administrative order in this context so that order of Land to Tiller may not affect PoK DPs land. Raising the issue of political empowerment of PoK DPs, he said during ensuing delimitation process the government must reserve at least eight assembly segments for them (PoK DPs) so that they would be empowered politically too, which is the core issue of them. He said that government must establish PoK DPs Development Board so the community can itself tackle its issues confronting to them. Chuni asked the government to create Poonch, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad & Gilgit scouts among the youth of PoK DPs for guarding the LoC & LAC so that country’s boundary will be watched over and the youth of the community will get employment.
While speaking on the occasion Prof NN Sharma said that education system should be improved for the PoK DPs as they are very intelligent community and there is dire need to explore their intelligence which will be much useful for the country, community and society. He added that PoK DPs always stood for the country and they must be honoured for their patriotism.
Ms Romi Sharma said that government must issue smart card to the members of PoK DPs for easily identification, besides government must created Club to save and preserve their culture as it is diminishing with each passing day. She further said that PoK DPs are very valor community and their quality can be used for strengthening the country in every aspect.