Srinagar, Oct 08 : PDP President and Former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that the land and job insecurity among people in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has deepened after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Addressing a press conference, Mufti, as per KNS, said that since 2019, land and employment issues have emerged as a serious concern across the region. According to her, people feel disconnected from their land and fear displacement and exclusion from employment opportunities.
“There is a fear that our land and jobs are no longer safe or meant for us,” she said.
Mufti said that bulldozer drives launched after 2019 resulted in destruction of homes and livelihoods, especially among poor families. She referred to instances in Jammu where residents of Scheduled Tribe areas such as Gujjar, Pahadi, and others were affected. She also mentioned similar cases in Kashmir, where structures on state land, including schools in places like Ghatscharai, were demolished. “Someone had a house, someone had a shop, bulldozers were used and no one was heard,” she said.
She said that there was hope that the 2024 elections would bring in a government that would introduce laws to protect such properties and people’s rights. Mufti said the revenue department, which is under the Chief Minister, could have brought a law to regularise homes, shops, and lease lands, especially for hoteliers who have operated in the tourism sector for decades. “The hoteliers should have been allowed to continue their leases, and the government should have supported them in court, but that did not happen,” she said.
According to Mufti, a 2022 law ended all existing hotel leases, and while no property was taken over at the time, the newly elected government has now started reclaiming hotels. She said many hoteliers had invested personal assets, including family jewellery, into their businesses, and they are now being evicted without any legal defence from the government. “This is not just about tourism; this is a matter concerning the livelihoods of thousands,” she said.
She said the PDP had earlier submitted a bill through Waheed Parra seeking regularisation of land for those in possession for more than 30 years. “We have brought that bill again,” she added.
Mufti also questioned the government’s silence on allegations that big business groups are eyeing the hotels and land in places like Gulmarg and Pahalgam. “If there is an auction, how will local hotel owners compete with major corporations?” she asked.
She appealed to Chief Minister Umar to take a stand. Referring to his recent comments comparing himself to other regional leaders, she said, “If you want to be someone, be like Kejriwal, who gave free electricity, gas, and regularised settlements despite all challenges.”
She added that the government must bring a policy and resolve the land issues by passing the bill that ensures rights for residents and protects them from displacement.(KNS).
