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Reserve four assembly seats in J&K LA for Chammb Displaced Persons: JKAP

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 6/2/2020 10:48:34 AM

YB News Srinagar, June 1 Former Minister and J&K Apni Party (JKAP), Manjit Singh has demanded reservation of four seats in the J&K Legislative Assembly for Chammb Displaced Persons. “They were displaced in 1947, 1965 and 1971 war with Pakistan uprooting them from their ancestral land. Their land falling in Chammb area was taken over by Pakistan. Hence, thousands of families lost their land and settled in different places,” said Manjit Singh. Instead of settling them at one place, he alleged that then Governments accommodated them in different places following which they get scattered along the border. He said that among these displaced persons, Jat community was in majority and they were not allowed to settle in one place even as they pressed for the same but the concerned authorities did not facilitate. As they were settled in different places, this community was not able to elect their representative so that they could be represented in the Legislative Assembly. “They remained powerless, and voiceless,” said Manjit Singh, former minister. Under the circumstances, the former minister, demanded that atleast four Assembly seats should be reserved for these displaced persons to empower them politically. He added that Chammb was considered as Rural Backward Areas (RBA). He said that the Government should also give them reservation in employment for their upliftment. “Unfortunately, they could not get propriety rights on the custodian and Government land which was allotted to them. It is high time to accept their long pending demands of the Chammb displaced persons,” said Manjit Singh. He said that the children of these displaced persons should be given equal right to get employment and right on the property. “These people are still living in the border areas,” he added.