SRINAGAR: After it emerged that a majority of beneficiaries of the controversial Roshni Act, which has been declared null and void by J&K High Court, were non-Muslims, the BJP has backed the government’s review petition against the HC order and asserted that action should be taken against only rich and influential people.
The party has, however, backed the eviction of nomad Gujjars and Bakerwals, who are mostly Muslims.
“The land should be taken back from them,” said BJP spokesperson Arun Gupta. The beneficiaries of Roshni Act, who have ‘encroached’ land, should be spared if they are poor and marginalised people, Gupta said.
“They don’t have any other place to live in. They are small farmers.”
The J&K government has filed a review petition in the high Court seeking modifications to its October 9 verdict declaring the 2001 Roshni Act “null and void”.
After the court verdict, the government had ordered cancellation of all land transfers under the Act.
According to official figures, a total 6,04,602 kanals (75,575 acres) of land was transferred under the Roshni Act — 5,71,210 kanals (71,401 acres) in Jammu and 33,392 kanals (4,173 acres) in Kashmir.
According to the list of beneficiaries released by the government, majority of those in Jammu were non-Muslims. Asked if the BJP backed the review petition because most beneficiaries were non-Muslims,
Gupta said, “We are talking for people of marginalised society. They can belong to any religion. They should be supported and spared.”
Asked if the party supported the eviction of Gujjars and Bakerwals from forest lands, he said, “Whosoever damages the forest area, action should be taken against them.”