J&K BJP state spokesperson has called upon the state Government to address the issues concerning the people of Jammu region, including those which forms the part of the PDP-BJP agenda of the alliance. The issues raised by the spokesperson, that forms the part of the agenda are: Delimitation of legislative assembly constituencies, one time settlement of POJK refugees of 1947, 1965 and 1971, providing sustenance and livelihood to West Pakistan refugees, extending benefits accruing to the people living on the LOC to the those living on the International Border, providing benefits of SRO-43 to the families of victims in cross border firing, giving ST status to Kollis, Chopans and Paharis, and creating Scheduled Tribe Ministry. He said that though an amount of 2000 crore has been sanctioned by the Government of India for POJK refugees, the State Govt. should immediately forward the case for release of this amount by the Union government.
Prof. Virender said that people of Jammu region suffered worst kind of discrimination in all fields of developments by the previous governments of NC and Congress and therefore, some steps need to be initiated to neutralize the effects of the discrimination to which the people were subjected to in the last more than 68 years. While illustrating, he added that extra funds should be allocated in tourism, agriculture, horticulture, irrigation and road conductivity. He said that representation of Jammu region in state services including in civil secretariat is far low vis-a-vis Kashmir Valley. He also said that the selection of students in professional institutes is discriminatory. Prof. Virender said that after 1996 the percentage of students admitted in the state medical colleges had drastically fallen and it remained between 22 to 26 percent and added that a three member committee under the chairmanship of R.P Singhal, was constituted by the state government after two months’ of long agitation by the students and general public of Jammu region in 1998. He said that the recommendations of the committee was that the students be admitted in the institutions located in their respective province as being done in the P.G. courses of University of Jammu and that of University of Kashmir. The recommendations of the committee have so far not been accepted and the students of Jammu region are still suffering on this account.
