Those who came from west Pakistan are our own
There has been an unnecessary hue and cry on the part of mainstream political parties and also the separatists over the Jammu & Kashmir Government's decision to grant identity certificates to the ‘refugees’ from west Pakistan. Equally disturbing is the fact that even as Kashmir Valley was set to resume normalcy after having witnessed a five-month long unrest due to the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani, the separatists have threatened to tip the valley once again in turmoil. On the one hand, mainstream parties, including the National Conference, have warned that the move is geared “to change the demographic composition of the State”. On the other, separatists have called for a shutdown with demands that instead of granting identity certificates to the ‘refugees’, they must be sent back to Pakistan or rehabilitated elsewhere.
Despite clarifications from the State Government that the migrants were being provided with just the identity certificates and not domicile certificates, protests have refused to die. It is indeed a travesty that politics has taken precedence over the grant of citizenship rights to these people, who had chosen this country over Pakistan after having witnessed bloodshed over partition. The claim of the Opposition and also the separatists falls flat on the face because the ‘refugees’ have very much been a part of this country. They have been living here not for years, but decades, ever since independence, which was the time when we, the citizens of this country, like them, gained independence. A correction may also be in line for those who refer to them as “refugees”. Some of these people are fourth-generation descendants. It were their parents or maybe their grandparents who migrated from Pakistan. The current generation has been born and brought up in this country. Therefore, even the grant of full citizenship rights to these people is legitimate and long overdue. Indeed, the ‘refugees’ have seem much — from fighting for survival, for jobs and also for fundamental rights. Successive Governments have either dilly-dallied or have kept numb over the issue of their resettlement. The J&K Government's decision to provide the refugees an identity certificate will at the very least provide them with jobs in the police forces and in Government offices.
Interestingly, refugees who had by choice decided to settle in other States, no longer suffer from this parochial treatment. But their counterparts in the border State continue to pine for their rights. The travesty is also that these people are allowed to vote for the parliamentary elections but are barred from voting for the Assembly and local body elections. like the Pakistanis, they do not enjoy land rights, do not have a ration card, a gas connection or a travel licence. With a BJP Government at the Centre and also in coalition with the PDP in the State, hopes were high that these people could gain some concessions from the Mehbooba Mufti Government. The BJP has time and again showed its commitment to make India a “natural home for persecuted Hindus”. It was only earlier this month when it approved a package of Rs2,000 crore for PoK ‘refugees’. The J&K Government has taken the first step. Now, both the Union and the State Government must not fail them. They deserve a humanitarian and just approach.