Providing water, power to Rohingya refugees govt’s duty: Farooq Abdullah

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 Union Government 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 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.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had recently stated that the J&K Government will provide basic amenities to the Rohingyas till the Union Government takes a decision on whether they have to be deported or not.

As per the government data, at least 13,700 foreigners, primarily Rohingyas and Bangladeshis, are settled in J&K, with their population increasing significantly between 2008 and 2016. A verification drive in March 2021 identified 270 Rohingyas living illegally in Jammu, leading to their detention in Kathua’s holding centre.

The administration had recently started a drive in which power and water connections to many houses and plots were disconnected where Rohingyas were residing. Later, Jal Shakti Minister Javed Rana made a statement that water connections to refugees homes will continue, kicking off a controversy with BJP accused NC of helping “illegal immigrants” in Jammu.

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

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.”