Need for cogent articulation of centre’s J&K policies

Like many issues on Kashmir, the Centre’s move to allow the purchase of land by outsiders in J&K has proved to be controversial and debatable. While there is a section, mainly Kashmiri Pandits, that has welcomed the new laws, there are others who fear the move could pave the way for a demographic change in the Union Territory.

The new land laws come close on the heels of amendments that allow anyone who has stayed in J&K for more than 15 years to get domicile status. Earlier, only those who were permanent residents were considered a J&K domicile. Both the major changes have sparked greater concern in the Jammu region than in the Kashmir Valley.

The reasons are not far to seek. Both the regions have 10 districts each but while all the districts in the Valley are militancy-affected, only a handful of those in Jammu suffer from the problem. Given the better law-and-order situation, prospective land buyers are likely to be more attracted to purchasing real estate in Jammu than in the Valley.

Quite expectedly, many organisations in Jammu have joined Valley-based mainstream political parties in condemning the Union government’s move. Only time will tell whether their fears turn out to be true, but there can be no denying that there is widespread concern.

Since 5 August 2019, the Union government has been chipping away at all the protectionist measures the people of J&K enjoyed to protect their identity. By all indications, the Centre seems to have in place a plan, which it is implementing in phases.

And given the muted or no reaction by almost all major political parties outside J&K, it is clear that this has their tacit support. Still, the Centre owes it to the people at large, not just in J&K, to spell out the reasons behind its policies. It should convey how the decisions will benefit not only J&K but the country as a whole. It must convince the people that its policies have kept national interest in mind and are not just designed to serve the ruling party’s ideological beliefs.