Modi govt again misleads border residents in Jammu & Kashmir 

The Border Security Force (BSF) has refuted Union Minister in the PMO Jitendra Singh’s statement that the government purportedly scrapped its project to allot border residents plots in safer locations following concerns raised by the security forces.

Singh, who is also local MP, gave a visit to shelling affected displaced border residents in Hiranagar sector recently. Expressing helplessness, he told displaced residents at a camp: “The project was shelved in view of the concerns and requests of security forces.”

Notably, in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections, BJP had promised to provide 5-marla plots (around 272 sq ft) to each family of border residents in peace zones. But four years after coming to the power, the ruling party has now backtracked on its pledge, alleging that the security forces have not appreciated the idea.

“BSF has not been consulted on this so far. We haven’t even heard about it…BSF will share its point of view and give its suggestions to the government if it is asked for it,” BSF PRO Shubhendu Bhardwaj told National Herald.

When contacted, Defence spokesperson Northern Command Col NN Joshi declined to comment on the statement made by the minister.

The 734-km stretch on Line of Control and approximately the 190-km-long International Border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir is manned by BSF and Army. The sharp rise in violations of ceasefire agreement—that was signed by India and Pakistan in November 2003—has put border residents at a greater risk of getting killed or maimed.

According to media reports, a total of 908 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistan Army were reported till last week in the current year, against 860 incidents during 2017. The sharp rise in ceasefire violations in the past four years has severely affected the daily life of residents in every possible way.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, a border resident from Hiranagar sector and vice president of Border Welfare Committee said: “Ninety percent of border residents gave votes to the BJP during Lok Sabha polls after it promised to provide us plots. The ruling party is not sincere towards resolving our issues now. It’s shifting blame on security forces to save its own face.”

“Time and again we have to migrate from our villages during border crossfire. If we have plots we can build small homes and shift our women, children and elderly people over there in the wake of shelling and firing,” he added, regretting that the minister left immediately when the residents confronted him.

“He (minister) told us that security forces believe if government allots plots to us, the areas may get depopulated and it would eventually become difficult for them to guard borders. But this is not true. Because we are farmers and our fertile lands are here, we can’t afford to abandon our source of sustenance,” he maintained, arguing that there is no human population in border areas in Kutch and Jaisalmer. “But here the situation is altogether different even when villages get vacated, young men stay at home to tend to cattle and crops. They also cooperate with the Army and BSF in every war like situation.”

Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh capping his two-day trip to the state on Friday said that nearly 14,500 safety bunkers will be constructed in Jammu and Kashmir border areas for shelter in the event of Pakistani shelling of civilian areas on this side.

Singh, however, did not say anything on the old promise of proving land pieces to border residents.