In Jammu & Kashmir, a surrendered militant can avail compensation under ‘healing touch’ policy, a stone pelter is covered under the amnesty scheme, victims of cross-border firing too get paltry compensation but there exists no provision for payment of compensation/relief to the family of victims brutally murdered inside Pakistani jails.
The revelation came to light on Thursday when Minister-in-Charge, Home Department, informed the State legislature that no compensation/relief has been provided to the family of late Chamel Singh hailing from the border village of Bhalwal Mullo, Pargwal in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu as there is no provision of compensation in such cases.
Chief Minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed is currently holding charge of the Home Department. Chamel Singh, an Indian prisoner facing charges of espionage, was brutally murdered inside Kot lakhpat jail in lahore on January 15, 2013.
A week later another Indian prisoner Sarabjeet Singh was also attacked inside the same jail and later succumbed to his injuries. The Central Government, headed by Manmohan Singh, and Akali Dal-led alliance Government in Punjab, compensated the family of Sarabjeet Singh, provided a Government job to his daughter and also bestowed title of ‘martyr’ on him.
In contrast, the poor family of deceased Chamel Singh is awaiting justice from the State and Central Government. Speaking to The Pioneer, the eldest son of Chamel Singh, Dara Singh on Thursday said, “It is unfortunate that the State Government said there is no provision to compensate families of victims in such cases.
“My father went missing on December 22, 2008. Since then we are suffering in isolation. Even after the murder of our father no one has come forward to help us. We have submitted a plea to the Divisional Commissioner and met senior politicians in the State. Both the State and Central Government have ignored our plight and dumped us.”
Dara Singh said, “I earn Rs300 per day as a daily wage labourer. The paltry sum is insufficient to support my large family. My younger brother goes outside the State with the local contractor and works there to support the family.” He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give justice to his family.
Addressing a historic ‘lalkaar’ rally in Jammu on December 1, 2013 BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had raised the issue of ‘merciless’ beating of Indian prisoners Chamel Singh and Sarabjeet Singh inside Pakistani jails while questioning the muted response of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre.
Speaking at a rally, attended by over 80,000 people, Modi had also trained his guns on the media for ignoring the plight of Chamel Singh’s kin and highlighting only the struggles of Sarabjeet Singh’s family.
More than nine months after the formation of the BJP Government at the Centre, the Prime Minister seems to have forgotten the plight of Chamel Singh’s family. The Centre too has failed to announce any compensation for the next of kin of Chamel Singh.
During the Assembly polls in the State, local BJP leadership once again highlighted the plight of Chamel Singh’s family and delivered assurances to the family members of all possible help. Now after forming the Government in alliance with PDP, BJP Ministers too have failed to come to their rescue.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP and State Prabhari Avinash Rai Khanna had earlier demanded compensation to the tune of Rs1.25 crore for the kin of Chamel Singh in May 2013. “Compensation of Rs1 crore should be given by Jammu & Kashmir Government while Rs25 lakh should be given by the Centre,” Khanna had said while handing over a cheque of Rs3 lakh to Kamlesh Devi, widow of Chamel Singh in Chandigarh. The money was donated by all BJP members.
Khanna also wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on the matter but in vain. During Assembly polls, when Khanna was asked about the relief package to Chamel’s family, he maintained that the BJP was committed to compensate his family but could not do so due to model code of conduct.