Various political parties on Wednesday criticised Centre’s new domicile rules for Jammu and Kashmir saying it did not fulfil any its promise on rights for people. Cutting across political spectrum, leaders also said that central government coming out with the domicile order was “ill-timed” as the situation owing to Covid-19 was alarming. National Conference said the new rules lacked in safeguarding interests of people of Jammu and Kashmir and termed it “unacceptable”. NC chief spokesperson Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said it was a “cruel joke on people”. “Only class fourth jobs have been reserved for the original state subjects. What can be more demeaning than this?”, the spokesman said. “The clause of extending domicile to everyone and anyone who has lived in J&K for the past 15 years raises concern about demography changes in J&K which may be brought in,” he said. “Even those who have been posted as central government employees, PSUs, migrants in J&K can now enjoy their share of jobs, biting off a huge chunk from the share of the locals,” the spokesman said. “How cruel the law is for the people of J&K, when it paves way for a person from anywhere in India having studied here for 7 years or so to claim domicile? Is it possible for a student studying in other States to have a similar stake there?” the spokesman said. Calling the timing of the law an “insult upon injury,” the NC spokesman said, “When the entire country is battling with COVID19, and people and their representatives of J&K are bereft with worries and concerns about their lives and of their families, GoI brings in the law.” He said unlike in other states like Himachal Pradesh, where land rights have been well safeguarded by domicile law, in J&K’s domicile law, there is no such provision. He said the law offers no protection to the land belonging to the people of J&K. Peoples Democratic Party termed the central government order as “frighteningly ambivalent, irresolute and akin to rubbing salt to the people’s wounds.” In a statement, PDP general secretary and former MLC Surinder Choudhary termed the order “ill-timed, very badly drafted and outcome of confused and chaotic bureaucracy.” Choudhary said it seems that the order has been deliberately issued at a time when the entire country as well as Jammu and Kashmir is facing a dreadful threat due to the outbreak of the deadly virus resulting in a lockdown. Choudhary pitched for its immediate roll back, asking the government of India to prioritise all its efforts in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the country as well as in J&K.
