Minority community in Kashmir systematically marginalised: BJP

Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP on Thursday alleged that the minority community in Kashmir Valley has been systematically marginalised on socio-economic and political fronts over the decades and the practice continues.

This, the party alleged, has relegated the community to the fringe of the social milieu.

"The minority community in Kashmir Valley has been systematically marginalised on socio-economic and political fronts over the decades and this systematic exclusion continues even today," BJP vice president G L Raina told reporters here.

It has relegated the community to the fringe of the social milieu and ultimately resulted in its physical expulsion in 1989-90, he alleged.

"Not only did the successive administrations fail to take any steps to arrest or reverse this policy of exclusion and marginalisation, they were also unsuccessful in developing strategies to guarantee equal, secure and sustainable progress," he added.

Raina accused the governments of denying the opportunity to the affected community to contribute to the state's progress and claimed that there is immense dissatisfaction among its members.

He cited absence of legal mechanism to protect and preserve temples, slow implementation of the Prime Minister's development package, benefits of welfare schemes not reaching the displaced community as some failures of the successive governments.

Raina claimed that the immovable property left behind by the displaced members of the minority community has been encroached upon by individuals, land mafia and even the governments.

The district magistrates, who were appointed as custodians of such properties under the Jammu and Kashmir Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint on Distress Sales) Act, have failed to identify, preserve or protect them, he added.

He demanded immediate eviction of illegal encroachers, including government departments, from the properties left behind by the members of the displaced community.

Talking about temples and shrines of Kashmir, the BJP MLC said the priceless heritage was in shambles and a legal mechanism was required for its preservation, protection and development.

He said till the Temples and Shrines Bill is passed in the Assembly, an ordinance to this effect should be brought in.

He claimed that the unemployed youth could not reap benefits of employment avenues announced in various government packages as they were never implemented.

Raina also appealed for doing away with the 'cumbersome' process of voting through Form-M and inclusion of the displaced community into the democratic process.