Stateless in India - Organiser

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Some twenty thousand Hindu families from Pakistan who migrated to
this place after Partition riots are still a stateless people.
Successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir have ignored their
persistent claims for citizenship.

The National Conference (NC) manifesto had specifically mentioned
that it would solve the problem of refugees from erstwhile West
Pakistani and grant them Indian citizenship and property rites
which they are holding for the last fifty years.

Besides, after becoming the Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah made
the commitment that the refugees from Pakistan will be granted
citizenship rights. He announced this on the birth anniversary of
his father the late Muhammad Abdullah on December 5, 1996 at Mini
Stadium, Jammu and also reiterated the commitment on March 1, 1997
while addressing a conference of revenue officers in Jammu. He had
said this despite opposition from his cabinet colleagues.

But the Minister for Relief Revenue and Rehabilitation Abdul Ahad
Vakil said in the Assembly that the issue is a complicated one due
to political, legal and constitutional problems involved in it.

Refugees from Pakistan have taken strong exception to the outright
refusal by the Minister for granting ownership of land and
citizenship rights, to them. Hundreds of refugees are staging a
dharna outside the residence of the Minister for the past one week,
demanding citizenship rights under the banner of Refugees
Committee. Shri Des Raj, the President of the Committee told
Organiser that some conspiracy was being hatched to deny them the
rights. He regretted the stubborn stance taken by the Minister on
the issue, especially at a time, when the Chief Minister Dr Farooq
had made a commitment to the effect that the refugees will be given
property rights in the State.

Article 370 of the Constitution, which gives special status to
Jammu and Kashmir, prevents any non-State resident from owning
property or getting citizenship rights in the State. The families
who migrated in 1947 and settled in other parts of the country are
enjoying the rights as citizens of India but those who settled in
Jammu and. Kashmir have been left in the lurch for the past 50
years.

After Partition when the, Hindus from West Pakistan migrated to
this part of the country, the late Mohd Abdullah. father of Dr
Farooq Abdullah. allowed them to settle on the border villages on
the assurance of State Government that it would give them all the
facilities which they were enjoying in Pakistan, recalled Jagu Ram,
Secretary, Refugees Committee. But no step had been taken towards
it yet, he added. For citizenship rights, Sheikh Mohd Abdullah
negotiated with the Committee twice during his tenure as Chief
Minister and had assured the committee of full cooperation. But
the Minister put hurdles in order to victimise the Hindus", said
Shri Jagu Ram.

While narrating the tale of woes Shri Des Raj said, "Our children
cannot apply for government jobs, nor can they get admission in
professional institutions, and we even cannot cast our vote for
Assembly in J&K. But nobody is concerned about us." This time,
Revenue Minister Abdul Ahad Vakil is the only obstacle for them, as
only he is opposing the move to grant them citizenship rights,
according to Shri Jagu Ram.

However, he expressed the hope that Dr Farooq would fulfil his
promise of providing citizenship rights.

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