Arbitrary apportionment of JK House Delhi is a gross injustice with J&K: JKAP
Srinagar, June 16 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) senior leader and former minister Mohammad Dilawar Mir on Tuesday expressed deep displeasure over an unjust and iniquitous apportionment of J&K House, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi between Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
In a statement issued to KNS, Mir observed that the decision is totally unfair and has not been taken as per the population ratio and respective demands of the two union territories.
“Approval granted to an interim apportionment of J&K House, Chanakyapuri between the two union territories is bereft of any rationale and is a huge indiscrimination with the people of J&K who otherwise also were genuinely crying hoarse for lack of accommodation in JK House in New Delhi,” the JKAP leader remarked.
He said that JKAP is not averse to the decision of granting accommodation to the inhabitants of Ladakh union territory anywhere in the country but the same should not be at the cost of interests of people of J&K.
“J&K with around 1.25 Crore population (Census 2011) has been given a few small sized rooms that are actually meant for accommodating patients while as Ladakh with a population of 2.74 Lakhs (Census 2011) has been given two main blocks comprising of 24 standard sized rooms, 7 suites and 24 staff quarters which is a gross indiscrimination with the people of J&K,” he observed.
Mir said the apportionment decision speaks volumes about non application of mind at the bureaucratic level and the union home ministry should go for an impartial review of this decision at an earliest.
“How can the two union territories having a huge difference in their respective populations be treated equally and one of the least populated regions be allotted lion’s share of the joint property? This is a gross injustice with the more populated union territory depriving its people of their genuine lawful rights,” Mir remarked.
At JK House Prithviraj Road which is Type-A House comprising of around seven VIPS rooms and few dormitories, the JKAP leader said that the house has been unjustifiably kept exclusive for accommodating Governor, Chief Minister, council of ministers, bureaucrats, their families and kith and kin of the people in power. Besides, he added, that the dormitories in this house are meant for patients. “There is no scope for any further construction at this place because the house has already been declared as a heritage structure.”
Mir said that most of the times the people from J&K especially patients and students never get an opportunity to get accommodated at JK House at Kautiliya Marg. “A building with small sized rooms meant for patients has now been allotted to J&K. Is J&K just to bear the liabilities only and handover its possessed assets and properties to Ladakh? Such unilateral and unjustified decisions would be never acceptable to people of J&K,” he added.
The JKAP leader urged the union government to allot land to Ladakh union territory through Delhi Development Board (DDB) for construction of Ladakh/Kargil house instead of allotting them a major portion of JK House at Chanakyapuri.
He cautioned the high level committee headed by former defence secretary Sanjay Mitra to draft its report on distribution of assets between J&K and Ladakh UTs while taking all the factors especially the population ratio into consideration.
“J&K have prized properties worth hundreds of Crores outside the metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Kolkata. In New Delhi, J&K has properties at Prithivi Raj road, Chanakyapuri and Rajaji Marg. JKAP will fight tooth and nail for the rights of people and will never allow any sort of indiscrimination and injustice with the people of J&K who have always been at the receiving end due to such harsh decisions,” he added.
Mir also urged the union home minister and the Lieutenant Governor G.C Murmu to refer all the vacant posts available at JK House in New Delhi to the competent authorities for recruitment of the local unemployed youth of J&K.
“There are around 100 posts lying vacant in JK House which have never been referred to SSB for selection process. Instead the government has gone for outsourcing of these jobs and over 60 people have been engaged from different states of the country, at the cost of livelihood of the local youth,” Mir remarked. (KNS)
