New Delhi:Hours after Delhi's LG VK Saxena increased ad-hoc monthly relief to Kashmiri migrant families residing in Delhi by 170%, Kashmiri Activist Sushil Pandit calls the move 'whimsical' and "being done with an eye on an election."
Saxena on Wednesday approved an increase in the Ad-hoc Monthly Relief to Kashmiri migrants in the national capital from Rs 10,000 to Rs 27,000 per month. Speaking to ETV Bharat, Sushil Pandit said, "It's a political move. Being done with an eye on an election. Nothing has been done for us. We've been extremely disappointed with this government. But whatever little they do is welcome."
When asked to comment on whether this move indicates that the government is not talking about the return of Kashmiri Pandits, he replied "These are piecemeal, whimsical and sporadic actions that they do. But even as a whim, if anything benefits our people, I am happy about that. But it doesn't compensate for apathy, for complete disinterest, and sometimes hostilities against our interests."
Similarly, another Kashmiri Pandit, Dr Ramesh Raina, President of All India Kashmiri Samaj welcomed this move and said "We welcome this move. It was overdue and has finally been done. Many Kashmiri migrants residing in Delhi are living under the Below Poverty Line and the relief fund given to them was very low. This will really help them."
To a question on whether this move indicates that the government is sliding away from the question of rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, he replied, "These are two different things. You cannot compare it. Look at the situation in Kashmir. Kashmiri Pandits are still being killed and there is an anti-Kashmiri Pandit sentiment there. Until and unless, there is complete security and social acceptance for us, we cannot return back."
It is worth noting here that Ad-hoc Monthly Relief (AMR) was last increased in 2007 when the amount was doubled from Rs 5,000 per family fixed in 1995. AMR is provided to the Kashmiri migrants under the central government’s Security Related Expenditure (Relief & Rehabilitation) Scheme, for supporting militancy-hit families. At present, approximately 2,000 families are being paid AMR in the national capital. The monthly expenditure incurred for it is Rs 2.5 crore.
