Worry for BJP as PoK refugees to field candidates in LS polls

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 18

Worries might aggravate for the BJP as SOS International — an organisation for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir displaced persons — on Sunday organised a rally to seek support for passing a resolution to field candidates from the community in the 2019 general elections so that their voice can be raised on various forums.

Chairman, SOS International, Rajiv Chuni said the candidates would contest the elections from both Lok Sabha constituencies of the Jammu province — Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda-Kathua.

“Thousands of people, during meetings and rallies, have advised me to launch our own candidates as various successive governments have failed to redress our issues. To put a stop to the brutalities on world’s most destitute community, launching our own candidates is the need of hour and it is high time because PoK displaced persons have been abandoned,” said Chuni.

Making a veiled attack on the coalition government, particularly the BJP, the SOS chairman said one government had announced something but the other sabotaged it. He said the PoK refugees had been taken for granted.

The BJP is facing criticism from all quarters in the Jammu region for failing to rise to the expectations of people. It seems to be losing ground.

“To put a stop to these practices, PoK displaced persons will have to shun looking at the hostile parties and choose their own candidates. The working committee of SOS International will discuss it and take a decision soon,” said Chuni.

He said time had come for PoK refugees to get united and consolidate their vote bank for their betterment. He said various political parties were playing foul games to gain political mileage over the issue of PoK refugees and enhance their vote banks which was not acceptable to them.

The PoK refugees in the rally vowed to support the resolution.