Cautioning against the tendency of making LoC as a political theatre, National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana on Wednesday called for a collective strategy towards minimizing sufferings of the border dwellers in the wake of condemnable shelling from across the border, saying this is a human problem that needs a humane approach.

 “We urge all the political parties to rise above party politics and work towards seeking a safe, secured and better life for our border people, who remain at the receiving end whenever border skirmishes take place”, Rana said while interacting with the shelling victims in various camps in Nowshehra sector of Rajouri district during his extensive tour of the border areas, especially Nanyal, Jhangar and Pulkharni.

 Rana was accompanied by State Vice President Rattan Lal Gupta, State Secretary Th Rachpal Singh and Provincial Youth National Conference President Mr Ajaz Jan.

Rana pitched for residential plots for the vulnerable border families in safer areas apart from a massive recruitment drive for the youth, hoping that all political parties would join this effort of pushing the case before the Centre. “Instead of playing politics, blaming each other or indulging in rhetoric, let us show some empathy to the victims who seem to have lost the hope”, he said, adding that this is bare minimum the border people must be expecting from the political class. 

He said the border hostilities were detrimental for residents of the forward areas, who do not only face perpetual threat to their lives but also are deprived of rehabilitating their land holdings.

“During and after the shelling, their woes continue to haunt them, especially on account of sustenance and education of their children”, he said and suggested for evolving a mechanism for their safe and dignified living.

“We must learn from mistakes of the past and do away with the tendency of showing concern only when border skirmishes take place and then forget the border people till the next eventuality”, he said and referred to the promises made by the successive governments at the Centre with regard to constructing shelter sheds, community bunkers, allotment of plots and jobs to the border youth.

He said on ground there has been no forward movement to any of these, as a result of which the entire border life gets haywire once the guns start roaring from across. This, he said, is a peculiar situation that has missed the attention of the successive central governments. He cautioned against any further delay in translating the promises on ground zero so that the border people don’t feel punch of the adverse situations anymore.

He regretted that the governments at the Centre and in the state have not taken any initiative so far to allot five Marlas plots of land to the dwellers of the shelling prone forward areas besides bunkers for taking shelter in the event of exigencies. “This is long due now but the insensitive government shows no concern for having these in place to save the innocent civilians”, he maintained.

Calling for an end to perpetual border tensions, Rana said the pain and agony of the border people can neither be felt in New Delhi nor across the border. He said violence and hostility can’t be substitute to peace and therefore the problem had to be handled sagaciously by India and Pakistan.

During his interaction with the terrified camp dwellers, Rana shared their agonies in the wake of poor facilities like boarding, lodging, medicare, health and hygiene, power and drinking water supply etcetera. 

He conveyed condolences to the families of those who lost their dear ones in the shelling and also enquired about the condition of those injured.   He lauded the courage of the suffering people in braving the situation and expressed solidarity of his party with them at this crucial juncture.

The delegation also visited the house of a family which lost its two members due to shelling the other-day.

Guest