Providing water, power to Rohingyas is our duty until they are in J&K: Farooq Abdullah

Kathua/Jammu: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said it is responsibility of the Jammu and Kashmir government to provide basic amenities like water and electricity to Rohingya refugees residing in the region.

“The Government of India brought the refugees here. We did not bring them. They have settled them here, and as long as they are here, it is our duty to provide them with water and electricity. This is our responsibility", Abdullah  told reporters during a visit to Kathua.

His remarks come a day after the BJP termed the settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis in Jammu city a major "political conspiracy" and demanded a CBI probe to identify those involved in facilitating it.

Hitting out at the National Conference (NC) government over remarks on granting water and power connections to them in Jammu, the BJP had also alleged it was done to protect them as they belong to a particular community.

According to government data, more than 13,700 foreigners, most of them Rohingyas (illegal immigrants from Myanmar) and Bangladeshi nationals, are settled in Jammu and other districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Their population increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016.

In March 2021, police found over 270 Rohingyas, including women and children, living illegally in the Jammu city during a verification drive and lodged them at a holding centre inside the Kathua sub-jail.

Abdullah also batted strongly for restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir, and said there will be only one power centre in J&K.

“The double-engine government will not work here. Statehood will be restored. There will be only one power centre in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Asked about atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh, Abdullah criticised the central government, saying “the Government of India should look into this. It is an RSS-led government. We need to pay attention to this issue.” On the question of restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Abdullah reaffirmed, “statehood will be restored. It is the promise of the Government of India and has also been pledged before the Supreme Court. Just as their election promises were fulfilled, the Supreme Court commitment will also honoured, and statehood will return.” Abdullah addressed the issue of power cuts in the region, attributing them to a lack of rainfall and snowfall. “We are trying to minimise power cuts. There is a shortage of electricity because there has been no snowfall or rain. Efforts are being made to improve the power supply,” he said.

Asked about PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti''s recent statements on Hindutava, Abdullah said, “I do not need to comment on her statements.” The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also spoke about the concerns regarding Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

“Questions about EVMs have not arisen today; they have been raised ever since these machines were introduced. The government must ensure that people trust these machines,” he said.

Highlighting unemployment as the biggest issue in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said “There are many educated boys and girls who remain unemployed. Numerous vacancies exist, but they have not been filled. The government must focus on these issues so that our youth can find work.” Abdullah also criticised the condition of healthcare and educational infrastructure in the region, calling it “poor” and in need of urgent improvement.

Warning about environmental degradation, Abdullah said, “If our forests are not preserved, how will we get rain and snow? Crops are failing in many areas due to a lack of water. Protecting the environment and forests is not just the government’s responsibility but also the people’s duty. We must all work together to save nature.”