‘Snatching locals’ land and giving it to outsiders’: Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah attack BJP over new land laws in J&K

Srinagar: The government of Jammu and Kashmir took out a notification, which has given birth to new controversy in Jammu Kashmir “it stated that the owners must hand over the possession of leased land immediately after lease time is over failing which they shall be evicted.” It is being said that the government will not be renewing the lease of outgoing lessees and an online auction would be held to outsource the land. The Political parties have strongly opposed this decision and criticised the BJP government for taking such decisions against the common people of Jammu and Kashmir. PDP President Mehbooba Mufti has strongly opposed the decision as well. She said that BJP is snatching the land of locals and giving it to outsiders.

She also took a dig at the central government by saying that China has made incursions in Ladakh, and Arunachal and they did nothing, but in Jammu Kashmir, they are taking away the land from locals and making them unemployed. 

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Mehbooba said “It’s a big betrayal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP calls us “ATOOT ANG” but is snatching the land from common people. While China has captured our land both at Ladakh and Arunachal, BJP has no reply to that. They want to take away the land from the locals. They are taking our lands and resources. People who are doing business on these lands are being asked to vacate.”

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah is also on the same page and said that the current lease holders should be given a chance to renew the lease.

“Taking away the land from people, and throwing them out like this is this justice? What’s the need for that? The law says that you give lease holders the right to renew the lease, they should have the first right of refusal. You can decide the rates, if they are not able to give that rate or do not want to, then it can be given to anyone else. But the first right is the current lease holder who took care of it for years. If LG takes that decision, then we won’t have any issue with that. But from the order that has been taken it is very evident that they want to take away the land from the common Kashmiri and give it to the outsiders” said Omar Abdullah.

Altaf Bukhari, president Apni Party and Sajad Gani Lone president people’s conference too have criticised the decision of the government. 

Bhukari said “It cannot stand the scrutiny of law and It is Inhuman. We have not seen any laws like these anywhere, If the lease was not renewed by previous governments, it is not the fault of the business community. The lease needs to be extended to these already running businesses on the land.”

Sajad said “The new Land policy is not at par with the rest of the country. It may well start the dark chapter of now blatantly othering the Kashmiris. Lease rules across the world and in India are fairly simple and on similar lines. But these are different and not without motives.”

However, the government does not seem to have any plans to bring any change in the notification. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that the Land laws in Jammu and Kashmir were regressive.

“The land laws in Jammu and Kashmir were very regressive, They have not framed keeping in view the interests of the common masses. We are doing everything that will help the local people of the Union Territory. Around 40 to 45 per cent of cases in various courts are due to land disputes.” said Manoj Sinha

The business community of Jammu and Kashmir especially the hoteliers of Gulmarg and other tourist places are distressed as they might lose their business as the new land law has come into effect in the Union Territory. There are around 60% business units of locals are on lease and most of them had on verge of end of the lease period. 

The 2022 land law in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir also states that land can be leased for education, healthcare, tourism, skill development and recreational purposes. The government can give the land to ex-servicemen, war widows, and families of deprived categories.