Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!đ Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. RS PURA: BJP J&K UT Refugee Cell Co-Convenor Inderjeet Sharma today led a strong protest at the main road in RS Pura against alleged remarks made by NC MLA from Poonch Haveli, Ajaz Ahmed Jan, concerning refugees during the recent J&K Assembly proceedings. The protest also highlighted the long-pending demand of Pakistan-Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (POJK) Displaced Persons (DPs) for issuance of ST-2 (Scheduled Tribe-II) certificates.
A large number of BJP workers, refugee representatives, and POJK DPs participated in the protest, raising slogans and expressing resentment over what they described as insensitive comments against a community that has faced displacement and hardship since 1947.
Addressing the gathering, Inderjeet Sharma said that POJK refugees, particularly those belonging to the Pahari-speaking community, have been consistently demanding equal treatment and rightful inclusion under the ST-2 category. He stated that refugee organizations have maintained that POJK DPs share the same cultural, ethnic, and linguistic identity as other Pahari-speaking communities in Rajouri and Poonch, who are already receiving the benefits of the Scheduled Tribe status.
âPOJK Displaced Persons are Pahari-speaking and culturally identical to their counterparts in other districts. If area is not a criterion, as clarified by the government in the Assembly, then denying or delaying ST-2 certificates to eligible families settled in Jammu plains amounts to discrimination,â Sharma said.
He further pointed out that several refugee associations have alleged that despite official assurances that âarea of residence is not a bar,â applications of POJK DPs for ST-2 and Pahari Speaking People (PSP) certificates are allegedly being withheld. He termed this as a matter of serious concern and called for transparency and uniform implementation of rules across the Union Territory.
Sharma also referred to the legal recourse taken by refugee organizations, noting that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Jammu & Kashmir High Court seeking grant of ST status and issuance of PSP certificates to all eligible POJK displaced families. He urged the administration to proactively resolve the issue rather than allowing it to remain entangled in prolonged legal processes.
Highlighting the broader issues faced by POJK Displaced Persons (DPs), Sharma reiterated that all eligible families across the Jammu province must be granted ST-2 and Pahari Speaking People (PSP) certificates without further delay. He emphasized the need to ensure fair reservation for POJK DPs in educational institutions and government employment so that their youth are not deprived of equal opportunities.
Sharma further called for comprehensive rehabilitation measures, including adequate financial support packages to address the long-standing economic hardships of displaced families. He also stressed the urgent settlement of pending compensation and land claims that have remained unresolved for decades. Additionally, he underlined the importance of providing adequate political representation to POJK DPs in legislative and local bodies to ensure that their voices are effectively heard and their concerns addressed.
He called upon the Lieutenant Governor and senior officials of the administration to personally intervene and ensure that no eligible displaced family is deprived of constitutional benefits.âPOJK refugees sacrificed everything for the nation. For decades, they have struggled for dignity, identity, and equal rights. The administration must act decisively to end any ambiguity and ensure justice,â Sharma asserted.
Demanding clarification from the NC MLA over his alleged remarks, Sharma said public representatives must respect the sentiments of displaced communities and refrain from statements that may hurt their dignity.The protest concluded peacefully, with participants vowing to continue their democratic struggle until ST-2 certificates and other rightful benefits are extended to all eligible POJK Displaced Persons in Jammu & Kashmir UT.
