Remembering Fellow Refugee, Dr. Manmohan Singh
Kashmiri Refugees aka Kashmiri Migrants aka Internally Displaced Kashmiris, fled Kashmir due terrorism; most of us fled in January’1990 and moved to refugee camps in Jammu; with Government providing a tent per family to live. Sometime in 1999, tents got replaced by asbestos roofing; with poor sanitation, no drinking water, no drainage and irregular electricity.
We would be switching off the only light bulb in the tent/room, for our women to change clothes. Many of us died due to sun stroke, snake/scorpion bites; our elders dying within a few years of moving to the camps in Jammu. Young couples had no privacy, reducing the birthrate of the community and bringing a culture of late marriages.
There were no medical dispensary and no proper schools, in the camps.Our lives became a living hell in summers, with mercury touchingaround 44 degrees centigrade.
In October 2004, I got to know from the media that the Prime Minister (PM) Dr. Manmohan Singh was visiting Jammu. I wrote to the PM; urging him to visit us. To my surprise, PM Singh visited Muthi Camp at Jammu, on 18th November’2004; the Muthi camp houses families, who have lost their kin to terrorism.
At the camp PM Singh said, “he had come to share our pain”; and empathised as a fellow refugee; sharing his experience as a refugee. Singh said the government would work sincerely towards mitigating our problems. Terming as genuine our demands for — permanent rehabilitation, jobs, compensation for our damaged and encroached houses, land and temples; minority community status. This was followed by a visit of a team from the PMO, who assessed our requirements in employment, education, health and rehabilitation.
The following stands done, as of today:
A) A township at Jagti on the outskirts of Jammu; providing housing and infrastructure with Community Halls, Higher Secondary School, Prime Health Centre, Water Supply, Electric Supply, 40 bed hospital, Road & Drainage, STP plant, Parks etc under Prime Ministers Reconstruction Program (PMRP).
B) Nearly 6,000 Government jobs were provided to Displaced Kashmiris; back in their districts, in Kashmir, under the PM Employment Package. Giving impetus to reverse migration and our resettlement in Kashmir. Since 2014, the NDA Government, continued with the same policy impetus and made the above possible; augmenting flats for PM Package employees at Districts in Kashmir; filling the vacancies, providing funds and streamlining the process.
Displaced Kashmiri is a civilizational wound on the collective consciousness of the Country; and a tragedy for the mankind. Rehabilitating them and addressing their concerns, is a small step in healing this wound. There is so much more that needs to be done; irrespective of the Government in power; Dr. Manmohan Singh made the beginning in 2004.
Reapan Tikoo
A displaced Kashmiri, remembering with gratitude, Dr. Manmohan Singh
on his birthday; a fellow refugee, whose empathy, improved our lives.
