Objection to domicile exposes separatists’ bias: Hindu refugees

JAMMU West Pakistan refugees on Saturday held a protest, condemning separatists for opposing the issuance of domicile certificates to them, and said the separatists’ statements exposed their bias against Hindus.

“We condemn the statement of separatist leaders like Yaseen Malik and Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani, who are opposing the grant of identity certificates to us. We have been suffering a lot for the past 70 years,” said Madan Lal Dubgotra, president of West Pakistani Hindu Refugee Front.

He said the statements of the separatist leadership saying refugees should be sent back to Pakistan was “inhuman” and exposed their bias against Hindus . He said for the first time, the state’s PDPBJP coalition government decided to give identity cards to the refugees, which will help them.

“This certificate will help us in getting central government jobs

WEST PAKISTAN HINDU REFUGEE FRONT SAYS SEPARATIST LEADERS CALLING FOR SENDING THEM BACK WAS INHUMAN

and jobs in central forces. It will also help our children avail scholarships under Centre-sponsored schemes,”hesaid.

The state government has decided to issue identity cards to the settlers and clarified after protests from opposition parties and separatists that it was not issuing domicile certificates.

The refugees, settled in the state, are citizens of India and have the right to vote in parliamentary polls.

However, they are not permanent residents of the state in terms of Jammu and Kashmir Constitution.

They do not enjoy voting rights to the state assembly and local bodies.