Jammu’s west Pakistan refugees to hold a rally to thank govt

NEW DELHI: A sizable population of refugees, who moved from West Pakistan to Jammu after partition but were denied full citizenship rights due to Article 370, will hold a rally in Jammu to thank the Centre for abrogation of the special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The population of West Pakistan Refugees living in the Jammu region is estimated to be roughly 4 lakh at present. Most of them are Dalits whose families moved to India after partition. Though three generations have lived in the state since then, they were deprived of their rights, including the right to vote during Vidhan Sabha and Panchayat elections, access to central welfare schemes, affirmative action and the right to buy land.

Labbaram Gandhi — head of the West Pakistan Refugee Action Committee, which is organising this rally, told ET that the community is happy with the abrogation of Article 370.