PDP-BJP government decided to issue id cards to help Pakistani refugees get Central government jobs
Mandeep Singh, 22, from the border town of RS Pura in Jammu and Kashmir is preparing to move to Canada. It is a gesture more of despair than of hope. Born 47 years after Independence, Mr Singh has failed to get a job from the Jammu and Kashmir government or any placement in a professional course. By the laws of the state, he is not its citizen.
Mandeep Singh is a descendent of refugees who came from Pakistan after Independence and settled in Jammu and Kashmir. They are citizens of India but not citizens of Jammu and Kashmir as the state laws maintain that only those who were living there before partition will be the state's subjects and not outsiders.
The refugee families can vote for the parliamentary elections but not the state assembly. Nor can they get any state government job.
There are 20,000 such families in Jammu and Kashmir. The state's PDP-BJP government has now decided to issue identity certificates which will help them get Central government jobs.
Though the identity certificate in no way entitles them to a state government job, most of these refugee families feel it would be a step forward.
"I have studied till 10+2, but could not do more because there was no system of granting domicile cards then. Now that the cards are being made, I think if I can't get a job, my younger brother who is studying will try and get the job. I am very happy about that," said Mandeep.
The refugees have been fighting for their rights for decades, but every time the issue has generated a political controversy. This time has been no exception. The opposition National Conference has hit out at the government, saying the move will dilute the distinct character of the state.
"Do you want to remove the Dogra culture from this state? Is it not going to vitiate that thing? Is it not going to dilute their position in their own state?" National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah has questioned. Dogras are said to be the original residents of Jammu.
The ruling BJP says it is time to give the Pakistani refugees their rights.
"They have already been recognised in terms of voting in parliament. Now recognition has to be given to them in Jammu and Kashmir. But the constitution does not allow that. What do we do?" said BJP spokesperson Arun Gupta.