NC espouses Kashmiri Migrants’ cause, BJP only exploited them: Rattan Lal Gupta

Demands enhanced cash assistance, compensation to over aged youth

JAMMU, April 19: Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) Jammu has asserted that National Conference has always stood for the cause of Kashmiri Migrants and shall continue the same for all times to come while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has only exploited them to the hilt by making hollow promises. He expressed this while addressing a meeting of office bearers of Youth Wing of Minority Cell Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) held at the Party headquarter at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan, Jammu under the chairmanship of Jatin Bhat, President Minority Cell Youth Wing JKNC Jammu here today. 

Rattan Lal Gupta was the Chief Guest in the today’s meeting which was called to discuss the issues and problems being faced by the people belonging to Kashmiri Pandit Community who are living across Jammu region. 

Jatin Bhat, President Minority Cell Youth Wing JKNC Jammu at the very outset highlighted the problems of Kashmiri migrants displaced due to terrorist onslaught in the Valley. The issues discussed and deliberated during the meeting pertained to cash assistance provided to displaced families, over aged youth suffering on account of exodus from the Valley, allotment of shops within the Kashmiri Migrant camps and the pitiable condition of tenements/quarters besides many other significant issues. 

  Rattan Lal Gupta while addressing the gathering lamented that BJP has exploited Kashmiri Pandit migrants to the hilt just for satiating their vote bank interests. He said that it is really unfortunate that despite increased cost of living amid sky rocketing prices and peak inflation the cash assistance being paid to the Kashmiri Migrants has not been enhanced for the past so many years. He said while DA of the employees was also hiked due to high cost of living, the Kashmiri migrants are unable to meet their ends with the meager cash assistance and these people are out on roads protesting for relief enhancement and other issues. He appealed to the Govt to immediately announce a reasonable hike in the cash assistance being provided to them. 

The senior NC leader said that the BJP Govt had made promises to rehabilitate the KP migrants in the Valley but these proved to be a cruel joke as no steps were taken in this direction since 2014. He dared the BJP Govt to reveal what steps have been taken by it for employment of KP unemployed youth including those who are now barred due to their being over aged. He urged the Govt to provide appropriate one time settlement compensation to the over aged Kashmiri Pandit youth. Regarding the KP employees appointed under PM Package, Rattan Lal Gupta said that it is not justified for the Govt to make migrant employees as scapegoats by forcing them to resume their duties in absence of adequate security for them in Valley.

  Rattan Lal Gupta while asserting that the two room tenements were constructed under the  UPA govt  headed by Sardar Manmohan Singh and Under the regime of Omar Abdullah in J&K asked the  BJP to clarify how many quarters were constructed for KP migrants in Jammu region after 2014 when it came to power at the Centre. He said that the quarters in different KP camps are lying in a pitiable condition and the Govt must immediately initiate meaningful renovation of the same. He also demanded that the shops lying vacant in these camps should also be allotted to the deserving KPs following a proper procedure.

The senior NC leader reiterated that NC has always stood for the cause of Kashmiri migrants and shall continue its fight for their cause for ever. He said that BJP has only exploited them by making false promises.

Those who were present in the meeting included:  Lakhshi Datta, Ashok Koul, Rattan Lal Mahlla, Sardar Harminder Singh, Rajinder Dhar, Varinder Pandita, Umesh Talashi, Veer Ji, Inderjeet, Geeta JI and others.