Kashmir’s grand mufti (head priest), separatist Hurriyat Conference and the Jammu-based Panthers Party (NPP) on Thursday said the Centre’s domicile laws were “against the interest of the people” of J&K and demanded its rollback.
“Domicile law is totally unacceptable to the people of Kashmir. It comes at a time when a pandemic has engulfed the entire world. Keeping top jobs for outsiders and Class IV jobs for J&K is a sheer injustice. We totally oppose it,” said Kashmir’s grand mufti Nasir-ul-Islam.
The Hurriyat, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said the process to change the demographic character of J&K was started in August 2019 and the domicile order was just a part of it. “Such orders are meant to settle people from outside in J&K. These attempts undermine the efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. It’s also an assault on the prospects of employment and growth of our youth. Unfortunately, it’s an attempt to erode the unique cultural heritage of the regions,” said a spokesman of the Mirwaiz.
The Hurriyat appealed to the “global community and people with conscience in India” to wake up. “They should respond to our situation in the light of ethics and principles of justice,” a Mirwaiz spokesman said.
Separatist JKLF, which was banned last year, said the unsettled nature of J&K did not allow any alteration in its State Subject rule. “Any forcible alteration in the demography is unacceptable. It is contrary to the international laws and obligations. Besides, such measures are undemocratic, unconstitutional and inhuman with ulterior nefarious designs,” said JKLF chairman Abdul Hameed Butt.
Street protest in Jammu
NPP leader Harsh Dev Singh held a street protest in Jammu against the domicile laws and demanded its rollback. “The BJP government has betrayed the trust of the people of J&K. The domicile order is an obnoxious piece of imposed legislation. By throwing open the J&K employment avenues, except a part of Class IV jobs, to the outsiders, the BJP has caused the greatest disappointment to the educated unemployed,” said Mr. Singh, a former Minister.
“The new law is devious, totalitarian and sinister,” he said.
JK Apni Party’s Jammu unit leaders, Manjit Singh and Vikram Malhotra, said the domicile order has come as an attack on the honour of people of Jammu. “Right of our youth has been snatched. Dogras have 200 years old proud history. We will not compromise on the rights of the people,” they said.
“Jammu people always trusted BJP as their voice and voted them in assembly and parliamentary elections. However, they feel cheated now,” they added.
The new domicile law allow people to buy land in J&K. Besides, except lower rung jobs, all others jobs will open for all to apply in the Union Territory.
