Lauding the BJP-PDP alliance government for being successful in uniting all political parties and passing unanimous resolution in the State Assembly for the safe and honourable return of all migrants to the Kashmir Valley, Brig Anil Gupta, State Spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party, referred to the present government as the true representative of the sentiments of the people, “the Government of the People, for the People.” From the day the present government has assumed office its focus has been on empowerment of the henceforth ignored segments of the society asserted Brig Gupta. Ironically, the previous governments who ruled the state with a myopic vision of regional and ethnic discrimination had used these hapless people as a tool for vote bank politics without caring to resolve their long pending issues. It has been 27 years since the Kashmiri Pundits followed by Sikhs and a few Muslims were forced to migrate from the Valley but none of the previous ruling parties ever thought of bringing such a resolution before the House. The fact is that these parties strongly opposed the move in concert with the separatists only a few months back when the idea of Kashmiri Pundit colonies was mooted. It goes to the credit of the present government that it has successfully changed the narrative wherein those who were till very recently opposed to the idea were first to rise on the floor of the house in favour of the resolution. “It is now expected that all these parties will work in unison with the government to ensure safe and honourable return of the migrants and cooperation will not remain confined merely to the resolution,” hoped Brig Gupta.
Listing other such achievements of the government, Brig Gupta referred to the plight of the West Pakistan Refugees (WPR) and the initiatives taken by the present government to ameliorate their plight to include issue of Domicile/Identity Certificates, bringing at par with rest of the state the marks obtained in 10+2 for enrolment in the Army and special quota in IRP battalions being raised as part of the Prime Minister’s Special Package for J&K. Brig Gupta also hailed the decision of the State Government, which was pending for the last more than six years, regarding advertisement of 2100 plus posts for the recruitment of Kashmiri migrants and the decision to settle other issues pertaining to release of salaries, ration, maintenance of colonies, etc. Inclusion of Lubana and Sher Gojri communities in the list of OBC is also a major achievement in this regard.
Brig Gupta also praised the government for partially accepting the demand of ex-servicemen community and exempting VAT on the four-wheeler vehicles sold through the Canteen Stores Department. He also appreciated the efforts of the government for improving the conditions of border area residents by enhancing the compensation of border firing victims by bringing it at par with LOC victims. The government has also doubled the salary of SPOs. Other people friendly measures include application of 7th CPC to state government employees with retrospective effect and enhancement of compensation to the families of martyrs.
