SRINAGAR: Refugees from West Pakistan are the happiest people with the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370.
West Pakistan Hindu refugees, whose ancestors had migrated to India during the 1947 partition and settled in the Jammu region, were feeling stateless and cheated even after seven decades of living in Jammu and Kashmir.
Now with the scrapping of Article 370 and 35A, which prevented them to settle permanently and own property, will automatically become the residents of this state.
Both Articles accord special rights and privileges to residents of Jammu and Kashmir only.
Amarnath (76) left West Pakistan seventy years back. He is now staying in a makeshift house without many facilities. He doesn’t own a house. His ration card was revoked by citing the reason that he is not a resident of Jammu and Kashmir. The story is similar for around 13 lakh refugees here.
Refugees are now hopeful that with the scrapping of both statutory provisions, they will automatically become the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.