Real News Agency
New Delhi: Supreme Court, on November 8, asked the Centre to
file an Action Taken Report (ATR) on housing, employment and payment of cash
compensation to Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) who were forced to leave their homes and
hearths in Valley in 1989-90.
Bench of Chief Justice S. H. Kapadia, Justices K. S.
Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar gave this direction on a civil writ petition
seeking a White Paper on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits living in Delhi and other
parts of the country.
Petition filed by All India Kashmiri Samaj and others in
2006 wanted the displaced Kashmiris be involved in all future meetings,
negotiations and agreements being entered into by the government concerning to Kashmir
Valley. It said that Kashmiri Pandits should be declared internally displaced
persons as per the principles set by United Nations General Assembly.
The team of lawyers representing AIKS and others included
Mr. T. K. Ganju, Mr. Rajeev Talwar and Mr. B. L. Wali and Mr. T. K. Ganju
pleaded before the Bench that the Kashmiri migrants were in no position to
return to the Valley as J&K Govt. had failed to take action against even a
single person responsible for the killing of over 2000 persons and pleaded that
the pending cases against them in the State should be transferred to some other
states. Also, under the Distress Sales Act passed by the legislative assembly
of J&K, the distress sales of the properties of Kashmiri migrants to be
declared as null and void. They further added that it backed out from implementing
this law citing it as against the constitutional provisions. Team also pleaded
for setting up of a committee headed by a retd. Judge to monitor the execution
of the PM’s relief package.
Taking into consideration the petitioner’s plea, Chief
Justice directed Additional Solicitor-General (ASG) Indira Jaising to associate
leaders of the Kashmiri migrants and file action taken report in four weeks. Chief
Justice asked Additional Solicitor General to submit Action Taken Report on
Rupees 1618 crore Economic Package announced by Prime Minister in 2008, to
submit a detailed affidavit on the amount spent and to associate the leaders of
Kashmiri migrants.
ASG assured that the ATR would cover disbursement of
compensation, Housing scheme, upgrading of facilities at the migrant camps and
a provision for jobs etc.