BJP flayed for succumbing to Separatists Pressure

While the National Conference and separatist groups have politicised the humanitarian issue of grant of “identity certificate” to West Pakistan refugees, the ruling BJP came under fire from Jammu-based parties for not taking a tough stand on the issue.
The parties have reasons to target the BJP because it is an equal partner in the coalition regime which, instead of clearing its stand on the issue, is busy in placating separatists on the “identity certificate” controversy. Not only the Opposition parties, some offshoots of the Sangh Parivar are also blasting the BJP for succumbing to separatists on the issue.
Without naming the BJP, state president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Leela Karan Sharma regretted that the government had failed to take a tough stand on those groups which were trying to foment trouble by raking up the issue of refugees.
Lambasting the BJP-PDP coalition for succumbing to the diktats of the separatists, Panthers Party chairman Harsh Dev Singh today said the credibility of present dispensation, particularly the BJP, had stooped to an all-time low. He said the government’s latest move to substitute the “domicile certificate” with “identity certificate” for West Pakistan refugees under the pressure of separatists was highly contemptuous and shameful.
He said the refugees, who represented displaced Hindus and Sikhs with a majority of them being Dalits, had pinned high hopes on the BJP government of being accorded permanent resident certificates. He said the BJP had held out such assurances and promises during elections as also in its “Vision Document” assuring state subject rights to West Pakistan refugees.
Highly placed sources said there was strong anger among BJP workers also against what they termed soft separatism being pursued by the coalition regime.