Jammu, May 03: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and former chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre of exploiting the Kashmiri migrants’ suffering for political gains without genuinely addressing their grievances or ensuring their rightful return and resettlement in their homeland.
The former chief minister was speaking while interacting with a delegation of Kashmiri migrants of camp and non-camp here, the party said in a statement issued here. The delegation of Kashmiri migrants was headed by Bushan Lal Bhat, Chairman of J&K NC Minority Cell and Ex MLC.
On the occasion, Ajay Sadhotra, Additional General Secretary and former minister, Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President JKNC were present. Bushan Lal Bhat apprised the Party President about the hardships being faced by the migrant community, the statement said.
He said that most of the Kashmiri migrant community residing in Jagti, Purkhoo, Muthi, Buta Nagar, Nagrota, Camps, and non-camp migrants settled in Jammu, Kathua, and Udhampur districts, facing huge problems in the absence of basic amenities.
Farooq said the Kashmiri migrants issue is not merely a matter of statistics or political rhetoric but a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention and meaningful solutions. He accused the BJP of exploiting the Kashmiri migrants’ suffering for political gains without genuinely addressing their grievances or ensuring their rightful return and resettlement in their homeland.
The former chief minister criticised the BJP’s “divisive rhetoric” and “discriminatory policies”, which, he argued, have only exacerbated tensions and alienated communities in the region. He called for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to resolving the Kashmiri migrants’ plight, one that prioritises human dignity, justice, and reconciliation.
The NC chief urged the Kashmiri migrants to ensure maximum participation in the upcoming phases of Lok Sabha polling in the union territory, emphasising the importance of their collective voice in shaping the political landscape of the nation. He asserted that there is a dire need to change the government at the Centre so that the problems of the general public as well as Kashmiri migrants can be effectively addressed.
Ajay Sadhotra asked the BJP government to reveal what steps have been taken by it for the welfare of the migrant community. “It is really unfortunate that despite increased cost of living amid skyrocketing prices and peak inflation the cash assistance being paid to the Kashmiri Migrants has not been enhanced for the past so many years,” he said.
He said that the National Conference will remain steadfast in its dedication to advocating for justice, dignity, and equality for all Kashmiri migrants, and will continue to work tirelessly towards the realisation of these principles.
Rattan Lal Gupta, in his address, has asserted that the National Conference has always stood for the cause of Kashmiri migrants and shall continue the same for all times to come. “The BJP government had made promises to rehabilitate the KP migrants in the valley but these proved to be a cruel joke as no steps were taken in this direction since 2014,” he said.
The Provincial President appealed to the migrant community to strengthen the hands of Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah by supporting all three candidates of the National Conference from the Kashmir valley: Mian Altaf Ahmed from Anantnag – Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency, Aga Syed Rahullah from Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency, and Omar Abdullah from Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in Kashmir. He emphasized that there is no better option for Kashmiri Pandit migrants than to wholeheartedly support and vote for National Conference candidates in the Kashmir Valley.
