Politicians up the ante against new land laws in Jammu and Kashmir

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have upped the ante against Center’s recent decision to introduce new land laws in the union territory (UT) with protests gaining momentum.

The regional People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had organized a protest rally from the party headquarters to the Press Enclave in Srinagar. However, soon after the leaders reached the party headquarters, they were detained by the police already deployed there.

Talking to reporters at her Gupkar residence after she wasn’t allowed to meet the workers detained by the police, the PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti accused the government of India of resorting to open loot of J&K’s resources by making fresh announcements that include repealing of land laws.

“I am glad that people of Jammu and Ladakh too have realized the essence of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration as the intentions of BJP led government at the Centre are quite clear now,” she said, adding that “it’s time for a united battle against New Delhi’s anti-J&K policy.”

“I am not going to sit idle and will fight Centere’s open loot in J&K. They are stealing our resources. Every day there is a new announcement from the Centre. The latest is repealing of land laws and allowing outsiders to buy land in J&K. This is just an election stunt as polls are round the corner in Bihar and then elections will be held in West Bengal too,” she said.

Asked about her next step, the former CM said: “Sarfaroshi ki tamana ab hamaray dil mei hai, dekhna hai zoor kitna bazuway kaatil mei hai.”

Sounding a bugle for a long-drawn battle against the Centre, National Conference leader and another former CM Omar Abdullah said the time for power-politics is over and all political parties have come together to fight for the restoration of Article 370.

“We won’t engage in petty political fights right now. We can’t talk about forming the government now as people are looking at us to know if they will save our land and identity… It is not going to last for weeks or months but we will fight. If we lose this fight, we will remain nowhere….hope we see victory in our lifetime,” he said while addressing party workers at ‘Nawa-i-Subah’ office, here.

While questioning the intentions of the Center, Omar asked: “What do you want from us? Do you want us to leave mainstream politics here?

In Jammu PDP had held a protest against the new land laws on Wednesday, denouncing the move by New Delhi to “put the land of the erstwhile state on sale.”

Similarly, J&K National Panthers Party chairman Harshdev Singh led a protest demonstration in Jammu and rejected the new land laws for J&K.

“The BJP time and again assured the people that their right of land and jobs shall be safeguarded at all costs post abrogation of Article 370 but the notification of the obnoxious law has sent ripples and shock waves among the people who are feeling cheated,” Singh said.