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| Ensure safety of affected families from border areas: Bhalla | |
Jammu, May 23, (Scoop News)-Expressing concern over repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Congress leader and former Minister Raman Bhalla on Wednesday said the time has come to silence the Pakistani guns along the LoC and international border.
He criticized the Centre and state government over their response to ceasefire violations and said it was the responsibility of the BJP-led NDA dispensation to find a solution.
"The time has come to act and silence the Pakistani guns as the residents of border areas, since July last year, have suffered unimaginable losses due to unprovoked Pakistani firing and shelling," he said while interacting with firing affected people of border areas in RS Pura Sector.
He said that ceasefire violations and militant attacks in the past few months have broken all records and "this government is dragging us into the 1990s as more youths, according to agencies, are joining militant ranks"."It is NDA government's duty and responsibility to find a solution to the repeated violations," he said.
Lauding the role of BSF in safeguarding the borders, the Congress leader said "the force has done a good job and it has done what was required of it".
Congress leader reached out to the victims of Pakistani firing along the International Border (IB) said that the Modi government has "no policy" to deal with Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir.
Bhalla was replying to questions regarding the alleged failure of the central government's policy to deal with Pakistan and ensure putting an end to the ceasefire violations along the Indo-Pak border that has not spared even children.
"This government (BJP led Central government) has no policy to deal with Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir. They have forgotten the Pakistan policy as advocated by them during the elections. They keep on shifting from soft policy to hot policy but there are no end results visible on the ground," he told reporters.
"The borders in Jammu and Kashmir have become very active and dangerous during the last three to four years. There has been heavy firing from Pakistan. There has been huge loss of life and destruction in the ceasefire violations," he said.
He said that the issue of Pakistani firing and shelling was raised in both Parliament and the state Assembly, but "hardly anything has been done to ensure ceasefire is maintained".
Taking a dig at the BJP for its poll promises to deal with Pakistan, Bhalla said, "The truth is that during the Congress period, there was better situation along the border than the present dispensation (led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi).
"During the elections, the BJP used to target the Congress and its UPA government for being weak at the Centre to deal with ceasefire violations by Pakistan and made tall promises to the electorate that once they come to power, they will bring the situation to normal along the borders," he said.
The Congress leader said that now there was firing almost on a daily basis and there has been huge loss of life and damage to the property in the Pakistani shelling.
Bhalla demanded Government to provide free ration, tents, power, drinking water, relief and bedding etc. He urged the officers to remain present in the camps where migrated families of Arnia village have been rehabilitated and come up to the expectations of the people by providing basic amenities to them so as to avoid any inconvenience.
He said that the State Government must always be with them in this crucial situation.Expressing shock over shelling on civilians in Arnia village, Bhalla said that deliberately targeting civilians areas is the latest design of the Pakistan and seems to be aimed at creating fear all along the borders in the State.
He regretted that the BJP led NDA Government has miserably failed to check the Pak designs and to ensure security and safety of border residents of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that certain measures are essential to ensure safety and security of border area people.
“But it is most unfortunate that present Government is busy in praising itself without knowing the facts on ground,” he alleged.
Describing border area people as the unarmed soldiers guarding the nation who face the first bullet of the enemy, Bhalla demanded long term policy for them, including construction of concrete bunkers in their areas besides providing plots and shelters in safer zones, provision of education, medical and other civic facilities at the time of their migration.
Congress leader met with the bereaved families and expressed grief and shock over the loss of lives and conveyed heartfelt condolences to them and assured the people that they will submit their report to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for taking up the matter both inside and outside the Parliament at the national level.
Congress leader also discussed facilities provided in camps and other measures such as children education, compensation for the damage of live stock besides free ration and monetary help to meet their day-today-needs.
After India carried out surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) on September 29, Pakistani troops have violated the truce several hundred times with impunity by resorting to indiscriminate shelling and firing on the international border in the Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts.
Yet, the brunt of these hostilities has been borne by thousands of villagers living close to the international border and the LoC. Hundreds of villagers migrated out of their homes and took temporary shelter in panchayats, community halls, schools and religious places away from the line of fire.
Schools remained closed and villages appeared haunted during the intense shelling and firing in R.S.Pura, Hira Nagar, Samba, Suchetgarh and half a dozen other sectors of the international border. "They were promised small pieces of land away from the border to build dwellings to avoid being caught in the cross fire.
"There was a lot of official talk about building concrete bunkers to shelter families during shelling from across the border. Nothing concrete was done to protect them, Bhalla added.
Politicians of ruling parties come to deliver speeches each time the borders are hot. They promise them the sky and after things settle down, these promises are forgotten, Bhalla regretted.
Two main occupations of border residents are agriculture and rearing cattle. Ironically, these two have taken the worst beating due to shelling and firing from across the border. Dozens of cattle perished due to shells fired by Pakistan Rangers in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts this year as heavy losses were suffered by farmers because of their failure to harvest ripe crops on time during this period.
"The attacks have increased here after September 29. We do not know what the government did through surgical strikes on Pak terror camps, but the latter has turned more ferocious of late and they are left as fodder on border," said Bhalla.
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