Do not shift orphans from Kashmir to Pune, high court to government

Srinagar, Mar 30 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir High Court (HC) has extended the stay on shifting of orphaned Kashmiri children to Pune in Maharashtra.

A division bench High Court comprising Mr Justice Nirmal Singh and Mr Justice Hakeem Imtiyaz has extended the stay for further two weeks on the shifting of 550 children orphaned by militancy and the October 8 earthquake last year to Bhartiya Jain Sangathan (BJS), Pune.

The court has given central government two weeks time to file the reply after hearing arguments from both the sides.

The Kashmir Bar Association (KBA) through its president Mian Abdul Qayoum has filed a petition in the high court challenging the shifting of Kahmiri children to Pune.

The court upheld its stay on the shifting of the orphaned Kashmiri children adopted by a voluntary organisation BJS and directed the state government not to shift the children without the permission of the court.

The shifting of 550, mostly victims of militancy and October 8 last year killer quake to Pune was criticised by the separatists organisation, including both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference, Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party besides a number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The centre has deposited Rs five lacs in the fixed deposit for each child.

They said the shifting of the children was a conspiracy against the Kashmiriyat and people of Kashmir.

The KBA said that the members of the association are ready to adopt one child each.

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