JAIPUR: Nearly 85,000 Pakistani Hindus, who are now Indian citizens, will use their voting rights to exercise the NOTA (None of the Above) option as a mark of protest against political parties for not bringing any result-oriented policies for refugees.
At least 40 members of Seemant Lok Sangathan, an NGO working in border districts for rehabilitation of migrant Pakistani Hindus, came to Jaipur and addressed a press conference on Wednesday to share their plight and to clear their stand in the elections.
Hindu Singh Sodha, president of Seemant Lok Sangathan, said: "Since 1965, Pakistani Hindus fearing religious persecution in Pakistan have been migrating to Rajasthan. With the starting of Thar Express, nearly 100 are coming to Rajasthan every week. Though nearly 1.13 lakh have now got Indian citizenship, they are still facing all kinds of problems."
He said that the introduction of NOTA was welcomed by 85,000 Pakistani Hindus who are residing in Soorsagar, Chhotan, Barmer, Shiv, Jaisalmer, Khajuwala and Kolayat constituencies in the state.
"Until a Pakistani Hindu gets Indian citizenship, he cannot purchase land, can't get his children admitted to school etc. In 2004, when collectors were ordered to look into the citizenship issue, nearly 1,500 were given citizenship that year itself. No political party which ruled Rajasthan or Centre has ever thought of bringing a proper refugee policy," Sodha added.
He claimed that state governments of Tamil Nadu and those in the Northeast have made a refugee policy for Tamilians and Tibetans who came to India but the government of Rajasthan had not done anything concrete for them.
Courtesy: timesofindia dot indiatimes dot com
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