Justice for Jammu & Kashmir: Candlelight Demonstration by ‘Citizens for Democracy’
The city of Bangalore witnessed a peaceful protest this evening in the form of candlelight demonstration by Citizens for Democracy seeking justice for the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The venue of the demonstration was MG Road, in proximity to the Mahatma Gandhi Statue. Their slogan was “The State of Jammu & Kashmir (including POK) has been, is and shall be an integral part of India”. The protest was to condemn the violation of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
The march sought to crate an awareness on the resolution adopted by Indian Parliament on 22 February, 1994, where both houses of Parliament stressed on the fact that Jammu and Kashmir remains an integral part of the nation. The resolution passes a directive to Pakistan to vacate parts of the state it had occupied illegally. Citizens for Democracy organized the demonstration to condemn the sheer inaction and inertia of Central Government forces in implementing the resolution.
Amidst the glitter of flickering flames and resoluteness of silence, ‘Citizens for Democracy’ demonstration reminded the tragic facts related to PoK:
- No move till date, by the Indian government, for a permanent rehabilitation for the 10 lakh refugees who fled PoK in the partition of 1947. They still dwell in inhuman conditions, in refugee camps.
- No constitutional rights for 4 lakh West Pakistanis, even after a span of 64 years.
- No legal documents of accession ever signed in favour of Pakistan by administrators of Jammu and Kashmir, even though the country continues to occupy parts of Muzzassarabad, Mirpur, Gilgit-Baltistan and major portions of Poonch.
- No part of Northern areas of PoK- Gilgit and Baltistan belong to PoK- the verdict of Muzaffarabad High Court was upheld by Supreme Court of Pakistan in 1994.
- No fundamental guarantee of civil rights or democratic representation for various civil services to citizens, as PoK is not included in Pakistan’s constitution.
- No food security for 75% of population. 70% of the population works as labourers, for daily wages.
- No rights to hand over on lease, areas of Gilgit, to China for 50 years. They had earlier, treacherously handed over Raskam and Shaksgam valley of Baltistan region in 1963.
At the gathering, demands to the Government of India were reiterated:
- China and Pakistan must be made to vacate the illegally occupied areas immediately.
- Basic constitutional rights must be grated to refugees of West Pakistan, following their migration to India in 1947.
- Refugees of West Pakistan and PoK must be granted reservation in sectors of education and employment.
- Permanent registration of of PoK refugees and representation in Legislative Assembly and Parliament as 35% of PoK population leads lives of refugees. The J&K legislative Assembly has 24 vacant seats in lieu of PoK area.
- Rehabilitation of terror attack victims who span over 5 lakh in number.
- Stringent directions towards Pakistan to stop terror attacks or support any forms of militancy. The deeds of pakistan violates Shimla Agreement and internationally accepted norms of inter state conduct.
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