Government tinkers with land laws in Kashmir, draws flak from the people

The people of Kashmir have not taken the latest move by the government to change the land laws lightly and have come out in protests. The Ministry of Home Affairs, on October 26, through the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Adaptation of State Laws) Fifth Order 2020, repealed 12 state laws. As such, the government has allowed the purchase of non-agriclutural land by individuals and companies outside the J&K territory.

This follows the removal of the erstwhile state’s special status on August 5, 2019; J&K was bifurcated into the centrally-administered union territories of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan to the west, and Ladakh with China to the east. Article 35A protected the distinct identity and culture of the people of J&K. Through this, the state administration defined permanent residents of the state and reserved certain rights for them, including the ownership of land. Non-residents or people from outside were barred from buying land.

A week ago, an alliance of seven political parties, People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, was formed for the restoration of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Sajjad Lone, the spokesman in an official statement, said the unconstitutional measure is clearly designed as an attempt to pre-empt the outcome of the challenge before the Supreme Court. Omar Abdullah, vice-president of the National Conference and former chief minister, said J&K has been completely put up for sale. He pointed out that even the basic requirement of domicile has been done away with. The intention is obvious, they want to alter the character of J&K,” Omar said.

Several leaders, including PDP leader Khursheed Alam and youth president Waheed Parra, were detained today for attempting to stage a protest. Mehbooba Mufti, former chief minister and PDP chief, was directed by the police to return to her residence as she had tried to reach the party’s office. She told the media that party leaders were protesting the new land laws, but no one was allowed to speak in Kashmir. “Our protest was against the laws passed by looting the resources of J&K. But no one is allowed to speak here,” the leader said and accused the ruling party of pursuing a communal agenda.