In a huge relief to several Kashmiri migrants who were asked to vacate their government-allotted homes in the Capital following retirement from their respective government jobs, the Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to put on hold any such eviction exercise till further orders.
Around 30 Kashmiri migrants have challenged a March 2017 rehabilitation scheme framed by the Centre, which they say covered only those who migrated from the State on or after November 1, 1989.
Their plea contended that those who had left Jammu and Kashmir between 1986 and 1989 are being denied the benefits under the rehabilitation scheme, which include providing them with alternate accommodation before evicting them.
Militancy in State
Advocate B. S. Walli, who is representing the 30 Kashmiri migrants, said a large number of government employees in Jammu and Kashmir had migrated to various parts of the country, including Delhi, on account of militancy in the State.
Since they were government employees at the time, they were allotted government quarters, including in Delhi, Mr. Walli said.
The advocated submitted that his clients, who are now retired government employees, have been directed to surrender their government quarters here.
“The respondents [government] have failed to appreciate that the petitioners are senior citizens and now want a peaceful settlement so that they can live comfortably. The impugned office memorandum will subject the petitioners to constant shifting and re-shifting,” the petition read.
Deeper examination
Taking note of the petition, Justice Rajiv Shakdher said: “The matter requires deeper examination. Till further orders of this court, no coercive measure will be taken against the petitioners by the respondents.”
The court has sought a response from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Directorate of Estates, which comes under the Ministry of Urban Development, within four weeks.
Mr. Walli contended that his clients are unable to go back to different parts of the valley in view of prevailing situation, which is not congenial for their safe return. Some of the Kashmiri migrants who were working in the Ministry of Home Affairs were, and even today are, on the hit list of terrorists as some of them were in intelligence, Mr. Walli added.
“They don’t have any accommodation either in Delhi or any part of the country and particularly in Kashmir where their residential houses have been burnt or are in a dilapidated condition and it will need quite a good fortune for them to buy alternate accommodation in the country in view of meagre pension which they are deriving,” said the lawyer.
