Kashmiri migrants stage agitation, seek resumption of relief

Aman Zutshi

Several Kashmiri migrants on Tuesday staged a agitation in Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner at Canal road in Jammu city urging local authorities to resume monthly relief and ration, which they claim have been suspended by the govt leaving them in distress.

The agitators shouting release of monthly relief and ration alleged that 1251 families consisting of Kashmiri Muslims, Pandits and Sikhs, are dependent on this and how they will sustain themselves if it is not initiated again.

A agitating Kashmiri Sikh migrant said, “We have been receiving relief from past 32 years and what happened today that they have to stop it. Everything was going fine all these years”.

He added, “The authorities have inquired about us several times and but why they stopped our relief even after that.

“I think they want to pester us. They’re not even considering a new order issued by the J&K court. We want our relief to be released or they should tell us why they have stopped it”.

“Our relief is stopped from past eight months and we don’t know how the earlier relief commissioner has stopped our relief without any order, as it’s nowhere written in that particular order to stop someone’s monthly relief.

“The order says to probe and give that report to Chief Secretary within 15 days”, another protesting Kashmiri migrant said”, he said

“We have been targeted without any reason. We request to LG sir to release our relief as there are festivals that are coming”, he appealed.