Srinagar, Oct 8: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti has launched a strong critique against the Omar Abdullah government, asserting its failure to safeguard the land and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Mufti's criticism centers around what she describes as a lack of concrete policy to address the growing sense of insecurity among locals regarding land rights and economic opportunities.
Mufti addressed reporters in Srinagar, stating that since 2019, the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have faced insecurity over their land, jobs, and culture. She highlighted instances of bulldozers being used and even schools on state land being dismantled. Mufti said that after the 2024 elections, people had hoped that the elected government would bring a law to safeguard land rights and renew hotel leases, but nothing was done.
The PDP Chief announced that her party would introduce the 'anti-Eviction Bill – The J&K Land Rights & Regularisation Bill, 2025' in the upcoming Legislative Assembly Session in Jammu and Kashmir. She urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to take a firm stance to protect the livelihoods of locals and to fulfill the promises made by his party.
Mufti expressed concern over the government's alleged inaction, particularly regarding the protection of land and hotels. She claimed that "outsiders are now eyeing prime tourism locations" and that local hoteliers are losing their establishments while the administration remains silent. She referred to controversies surrounding Gulmarg and Pahalgam and added that major corporate groups are showing interest in tourism projects in Kashmir. Mufti stated that the government should ensure locals are given first preference and remarked that poor locals cannot compete with powerful business groups if auctions are held.
Mufti has also criticized Abdullah for allegedly simplifying the challenges in Jammu and Kashmir, reducing them to just the issue of statehood. She contends that the struggles involve deeper concerns such as dignity, rights, and protection of resources. Mufti believes that Abdullah's focus on statehood reinforces the BJP's narrative by ignoring these broader concerns.
Mufti criticized the government for not fulfilling promises such as providing 200 free units of electricity, regularizing daily wagers, providing 12 gas cylinders for consumers, and creating 1 lakh jobs for the youth.
Mufti's statements reflect a broader concern about the changing landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly regarding land use and ownership. In 2021, Mufti and Abdullah criticized changes in land use laws that allowed the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes, stating that the new policy would adversely impact the people of the Union Territory. Mufti alleged that the changes reveal designs to engineer demographic change in Jammu and Kashmir and that the development agenda is a ruse. Abdullah stated that allowing the use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes is another nail in the coffin of the 'land to the tiller' reforms in J&K.
