SRINAGAR: Amid reports that the Centre was mulling land and job security to residents of Jammu and Kashmir following the scrapping of Articles 370 and 35A on August 5, Jammu-based parties have demanded stringent laws on domicile be enforced to safeguard the interests of the state.
Gulchain Singh Charak, president of Jammu-based socio-political organisation Dogra Saddar Sabha, said “The domicile certificate should only be issued to persons who have spent a minimum of 30 years in J&K. This is a must to protect the state’s identity”.
He also said the government should not permit any non-local to setup such industry which already exists in the region.
“Industrialists should be allowed to set up such industries which don’t exist in J&K, and that too only after obtaining No Objection Certificates from departments and laws should be strictly enforced to ensure that J&K residents are not deprived of jobs and their land is not taken away,” he added.
Charak said, “We have submitted a memorandum listing our demands to PM Modi’s office and mailed our charter of demands to Lt Governor Girish Chander Murmu.”
After scrapping of J&K’s special status and bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories on August 5, the Centre is now reportedly studying Art 371 and special provisions to Himachal to ensure job and land security to J&K residents.
Harsh Dev Singh, president of Jammu-based J&K National Panthers Party and former minister, said: “Only J&K residents should be entitled to jobs in the Union Territory and outsiders should not be allowed to purchase land.”
Singh said domicile certificate should not be issued to any non-local, adding, “If non-locals are allowed to purchase land and get jobs in J&K, it will lead to unemployment, joblessness and poverty in the region”.
Congress spokesman Ravindra Sharma said “If it (BJP) was so convinced that the rights guaranteed to J&K people under Article 370 were anti-national and anti-India, why is it talking of restoring the rights of locals. They should answer why they scrapped Article 370.”