Fresh controversy over PRCs to West Pakistan refugees
Jammu Tawi, January 19 (KIP):-A fresh conflict has broken out between the
1947-West Pakistani Refugees and the state Government over the grant of
state subject certificates. Despite the fact that the Government has
categorically announced in the Assembly that there was no plan for
issuing domicile certificates to refugees from West Pakistan, the
refugee Action committee has announced that they will get the
certificates issued by the Government of India.
The West Pakistan Refugees Action Committee (WPRAC) president
Labha Ram Gandhi has claimed that Government of India (GoI) headed
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured WP Refugees to grant
Permanent Residence Certificates (PRCs) to them after conclusion of
assembly election in Uttar Pradesh.
He warned of economic blockade of Kashmir and picking of guns by WPRs
if they are not granted State citizenship.
“The BJP-led NDA government has endorsed the claim of citizenship of
WP refugees, who are living in J&K after partition of Indian
sub-continent,” Labha Ram has stated.
He said the GoI has agreed with their argument that since WP refugees
are citizens of India and J&K being a part of India, they should be
provided citizenship of the state. However the state Government
has said West Pakistan refugees living in the State had not been
provided Permanent Resident Certificates (PRCs).
Speaking during the Motion on Grants of the Revenue department in the
Legislative Assembly, Minister for Revenue, Syed Basharat Bukhari said
not a single PRC had been issued to any West Pakistan refugee living
in the State.
“No order has been issued and no instructions passed from the civil
secretariat about the issuance of PRCs to West Pakistan refugees,” he
said when senior legislator of opposition National Conference (NC),Ali
Muhammad Sagar sought to know from the government if it had issued any
orders for the issuance of domicile certificates to the West Pakistan
refugees.
“My administrative department has not passed any instructions in this
regard. Let me assure the house that no such thing will be done,”
Bukhari said about the issuance of PRCs to West Pakistan refugees.
The Kashmir centric politicians seem to be dead set against
issuance of PRCs to west Pakistan refugees.and they are being
supported by the Kashmiri separatists on the plea that it would alter
the demographic character of the state.(KIP)
