Centre's interlocutor Sharma meets delegations in Jammu

Jammu: The Centre's representative to Jammu and Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, on Thursday met various delegations, including the Bar Association of Jammu, which raised issues ranging from the threat to the state due to Rohingya Muslims and the citizenship rights for the West Pakistan refugees.

Sharma is on the second leg of his visit to the state where he is meeting various groups and political parties.

On Friday, he met delegations of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Jammu (CCIJ), Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) and the West Pakistan refugees.

Meanwhile, Panun Kashmir, an organisation representing displaced Kashmiri Pandits, boycotted a meeting with Sharma, claiming that invitations were extended in a disrespectful manner.

The delegation of refugees, led by West Pakistani Refugees Front president Labha Ram Gandhi, said Sharma was informed about the discrimination meted out to them, despite having lived in the state for 70 years.

Gandhi said he it was unfortunate that they were not given the right of citizenship, employment and the right to vote. On the issue of their citizenship rights, he said the community should be rehabilitated in any part of the country if they were not granted the rights in Jammu and Kashmir.

There are over one lakh West Pakistani refugees living in four districts of the Jammu region for past 70 years.

The CCIJ delegation, led by its president Rakesh Gupta, raised issues of unemployment and development.

Welcoming the interlocutor's appointment, he said there should be a consistent policy for peace and development and the recommendations of interlocutors or working groups should not be treated just as pieces of paper but as aspirations of the people.

He alleged a migration of nationalists was taking place from the Jammu region to other parts of the country due to their non-inclusion in the political dialogue process and the appeasement policy which was being followed by the government towards the separatists.

On the issue of Rohingya Muslims, he said were agitating for deportation of the community members as they could be a threat to the national security.

Gupta highlighted the problem of unemployment, saying establishment of some industries and BPOs in the region could create job opportunities and also stressed on the development of tourist spots in the region.

He alleged that since Independence the people of Jammu felt politically excluded and stressed that traders did not normally involved themselves in political activities but "apathy" was allegedly being shown by the state and central governments towards them.