Accusing the BJP Government of falling back on its promises of saving the lands and jobs of locals of J&K, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister said that the general public and more particularly the educated youth were highly disappointed over the flip flops of the ruling party over the issues. “While the Government has failed to bring any law till date so as to save the lands of locals from outsiders, the job policy as enumerated through domicile law has further antagonized the youth of J&K,” he said while admitting a number of youth in Panthers Party, here. Harsh Dev Singh alleged that the Centre appeared to be fully focused on Ladakh whereas the people of J&K continued to feel the heat of some of the adverse fallouts of the latest decisions of the GoI after abolition of Art 370 and the passage of Re-organization Act. He said that people of J&K too wanted the domicile law as enacted during the rule of Maharaja Hari Singh to continue so as to safeguard the interests of the people of this erstwhile princely state. He said that possibilities of the land sharks usurping the lands of the state subjects and bullying the poor and un-influential land owners of the state could not be ruled out following the abrogation of the laws giving protection to local farmers. The JKNPP leader said that a scary situation was erupting in which the unemployed youth was getting restive and agitated with none to address their bonafide concerns and apprehensions. “With thousands of UP and Bihari labourers and other workers from adjoining states already having settled in J&K especially in various parts of Jammu region and having obtained domicile certificates, the concerns of the locals are well founded,” he said adding that while the GoI wanted to protect the history, culture, lands, jobs of Ladakhis by virtue of the amendment of sixth schedule, its apathy towards J&K was not only condemnable but culpable as well. Singh claimed that NPP was committed to protection of lands and jobs of locals and would continue to agitate the issue till it was addressed in right perspective by providing for adequate constitutional safeguards as available to North Eastern State. He further expressed concern over the collapse of erstwhile Dogra state saying that its demotion as UT would spell doom for saffron party in the days to come.
