Rehabilitation of thousands of Hindu families aimed to disturb demography of IHK: JKCHR

Islamabad

Expressing its deep concern on Indian government’s plan to rehabilitate over thirty thousand Hindu families in the Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights (JKCHR) said that New Delhi’s plan is aimed at disturbing the demography of the occupied territory, says a press release.

JKCHR President Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani expressed his concern on  Narendra Modi government’s, approval of the home ministry’s proposal to provide enhanced financial aid of Rs2,000 crore to 36,384 Hindu families, mostly living in Jammu region. “These families are alleged to have been displaced from Azad Kashmir in 1947, 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. It is generally believed that these Hindus have migrated from the then West Pakistan and can’t claim State jobs and can’t vote in Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections,” he added.

Dr. Gilani stated that although the State Subjects regardless of their caste, creed and religion have a right to reside and work in any part of the State, as long as, they fall under State Subject law of 20 April 1927 yet it is important to investigate the bona fides of these 36, 384 Hindu families identified by the Indian home ministry for settlement.

He said that a special concession to recruit members from these Hindu families into central paramilitary forces is extremely worrying at a time when India has world’s largest concentration of military force to oppress the Muslim majority in the valley. “Genuine State Subjects are entitled to equal opportunities, but making special concessions for these unverified Hindu families in State employment and admission for the children of these refugees in Kendriya Vidyalayas has to be scrutinised,” he added.

JKCHR president said that Indian administration has been creating loop holes to settle non-Kashmiris in the state to disturb the demography of the disputed Muslim majority state. The first move has been to find these non-Kashmiri (non State) Hindu families a legal foothold in the territory by granting them the permission to cast their votes in Lok Sabha polls.

Dr. Nazir Gilani has said that JKCHR would take up the matter at the United Nations and will also write to State Subject Inquiry Commission of the Jammu and Kashmir Government (Indian controlled) to investigate the bona fides of these Hindu families alleged to be citizens of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. JKCHR President has said that over 2 million Kashmiri Muslims of the State (five generations) have migrated either for fear of being persecuted or were forcibly deported by the State Government (Indian controlled) at the instigation of Indian administration into Azad Kashmir and Pakistan.

Dr. Nazir Gilani has reminded the IOK Government of the UN Security Council caution that it is elected from only a part of the territory of the State and is not a representative Government. Any decision taken by this Government to settle these non-Kashmiri Hindu families would violate the principles outlined by the UN for holding a free and fair referendum. 

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/169599-Rehabilitation-of-thousands-of-Hindu-families-aimed-to-disturb-demography-of-IHK-JKCHR