J&K politicians dismayed over new domicile law

Hours after the government of India spelled out new domicile laws for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, politicians in the Valley expressed dismay over the decision and questioned its timing amid prevailing situation owing to COVID-19 outbreak.

“Talk about suspect timing. At a time when all our efforts & attention should be focused on the #COVID outbreak, the government slips in a new domicile law for J&K. Insult is heaped on the injury when we see the law offers none of the protections that had been promised,” former chief minister and National Conference leader, Omar, wrote on Twitter.

Abdullah, who was released from prison last week after nearly eight months, without naming anyone, said the domicile law had forced even new political party “created by Delhi’s blessings” to criticise the law.

“You can imagine how hollow the domicile law is from the fact that even the new party created with Delhi’s blessings, whose leaders were lobbying in Delhi for this law, have been forced to criticise the #JKdomicilelaw,” he wrote in another tweet while referring to Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) led by Altaf Bukhari.

Iltija Mufti, daughter of incarcerated PDP president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, tweeted: “J&K’s new domicile law is part of a diabolical demographic project that began on 5th August with Article 370 abrogation. Imposing it in times of a global pandemic reveals a callous & paranoid mindset wilfully violating consent to ensure subjugation (sic).”

In another tweet, she said: “They are in a maddening rush to appropriate our land & resources. Wonder why they don’t show the same sense of urgency to save lives of thousands of Kashmiris jailed in & outside J&K?”

The JKAP president Bukhari took a strong exception to the domicile order and demanded it is put in abeyance till the COVID-19 pandemic is over “It is most unfortunate that such an important order has been issued at a time when the whole country is battling for its survival and is under strict lockdown to stem the spread of deadly coronavirus disease,” he said in a statement.

“While JKAP had been vehemently demanding Domicile Rights on land and jobs for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the order issued by the union government reflects a casual exercise carried out at the bureaucratic level without taking aspirations and expectations of people into consideration,” Bukhari said.

He said that being a government-issued order and not a law made by the Parliament, the new gazette notification regarding domicile rule for J&K is not immune to any judicial review.

The reactions came after the government of India spelled out the domicile laws for Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which says a person who has resided in the UT for a period of 15 years or has studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10th and 12th examination in a school within the region shall be deemed to be the domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir. It also includes the children of the central government officials, who have served in Jammu and Kashmir for a period of ten years.