
According to the new land laws promulgated on October 27, any Indian can now buy non-agriculture land in Jammu and Kashmir
Clarion India
NEW DELHI — Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday slammed the BJP government for new land laws, asking that if other states have special laws protecting lands for natives, then why Jammu and Kashmir could not have similar laws.
“No Indian can buy land in many states such as Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Union Territories but when we ask for such protection, we are branded as anti-nationals in the media,” he said while addressing party workers in Srinagar.
According to the new land laws promulgated on October 27, any Indian can now buy non-agriculture land in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the Central government was shrinking the space for the mainstream parties to force them to give up politics in Jammu and Kashmir. He accused the BJP government of trying to weaken the alliance of the regional parties which have joined hands to fight for the restoration of J&K special status abrogated last year in a unilateral move by the Indian Parliament.
“Delhi left no stone unturned to weaken and divide the mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. We (mainstream parties) remain busy in opposing each other till last year. As our voices got weaker, the government succeeded in their plans and snatched our identity. We have joined our hands now. “
He said after the August 5 move last year the ground situation has changed. “In the beginning of last year, we were eyeing on elections and now we have been fighting for our rights,” he said and wished that the alliance among the parties should have happened a couple of years ago. “Had this alliance taken place a few years ago, the situation could have been different,” Omar said.