Harbans Lal: Real Independence Realized After Seven Decades
Harbans Lal (Jammu Kashmir): real independence realized after seven decades. Today there is a festive atmosphere in the family of Harbans Lal in Mishriwala (Nai Basti). The family has realized real independence after seven decades. Children, elders have a new glow of hope in everyone’s eyes. However, this is the first time they have got the rights of independent India.
The family has got freedom from second-class citizenship. Seeing their happiness, the happiness of Harbans increases manifold. He says that till yesterday we were all called Western Pakistani Refugees, but today we are citizens of the country and entitled to the domicile of Jammu and Kashmir.
The 62-year-old Harbans say that the family suffered a major loss of not having citizenship in these years. Two sons Ajay and Deep Kumar have passed the application age while expecting a government job. They got married and the son’s children are now studying in schools, but the dreams of the third son Sanjeev have got wings. After graduation, Sanjeev now wants to get a higher education so that he can get better employment.
Harbans Lal says that at the time of Partition in 1947, our elders came here from West Pakistan. Our entire society had to suffer the punishment of ignoring the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and lived with the stain of refugees throughout their lives. Now by abolishing Article 370, the Central Government has given the largest gift of life to the refuges. Now our children will not be deprived of happiness.
Wish father could see this moment
Sukhdev Raj, 64, who lives in the frontier Panjaur village of Marh block, is today reminded of his father Chudu Ram, who had gone away from this world hoping for freedom from oppression. He used to say that only late in the morning, he will remain with the citizenship of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sukhdev Raj is sorry that this dream could not be fulfilled during his father’s life, but today millions of families like him have got justice. At the time of partition of the country, he himself, Punya Devi, the mother of Harbans, Dada Kripa Ram had to come to Jammu from Khairi village (Sialkot) in western Pakistan. There was no help or a piece of land from the government here. Came here with only a sheet and lived his life in poverty. Now 70 years later, he realized real independence.
