The Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly on Tuesday rejected PDP’s land regularisation bill seeking to recognise the proprietary rights of houses constructed on government land illegally, with chief minister saying that the bill will help “big land grabbers”
The Bill was moved by PDP leader and Pulwama MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para who raised the issue of how people who have constructed houses in state land are now facing threat of bulldozers.
“Post abrogation of Article 370, the threat of bulldozers is always there for those people who have houses on the statehood across J&K. This is an important bill and everyone should support it,” he said after reading the contents of the bill.
Para reminded Omar Abdullah-led National Conference of the promise it had made to the people during elections and asked them how Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, grandfather of Omar had passed land to tiller act. He said they shouldn’t be afraid of BJP and show some courage. “Everyone in the House should support this bill which benefits the poor,” Para said.
Responding to Para, CM said that it’s not a simple case to regularise those who constructed houses on stateland. “Before today’s bill, we had tried to legalise those who had lease rights and named it as Roshni Scheme. The bill was conceived in 1996 when Farooq Abdullah was CM and the aim was to grant freehold to those who had leasehold before militancy. The revenue generated would have been used for power generation. When Ghulam Nabi Azad became Chief minister, he made it for all lease holders,” he said adding that the bill which came from legislative assembly and became a target of politics and there was a talk of “land Jihad” and what not. “We couldn’t defend that in courts, how can we defend that bill despite being a legal land. Now our legislator has brought a bill advocating for regularisation of land that has been illegally occupied and constructed houses. How is this possible? This bill, if passed, can give rights to anybody who forcibly occupies land and constructs a house. We can’t do it. There is a provision of granting land to the landless people under PMAY.”
{{/usCountry}}Responding to Para, CM said that it’s not a simple case to regularise those who constructed houses on stateland. “Before today’s bill, we had tried to legalise those who had lease rights and named it as Roshni Scheme. The bill was conceived in 1996 when Farooq Abdullah was CM and the aim was to grant freehold to those who had leasehold before militancy. The revenue generated would have been used for power generation. When Ghulam Nabi Azad became Chief minister, he made it for all lease holders,” he said adding that the bill which came from legislative assembly and became a target of politics and there was a talk of “land Jihad” and what not. “We couldn’t defend that in courts, how can we defend that bill despite being a legal land. Now our legislator has brought a bill advocating for regularisation of land that has been illegally occupied and constructed houses. How is this possible? This bill, if passed, can give rights to anybody who forcibly occupies land and constructs a house. We can’t do it. There is a provision of granting land to the landless people under PMAY.”
{{/usCountry}}Omar said that the government can never give land to illegal land holders. “The government can’t accept this bill. I request the legislator to withdraw this bill.”
Later, when Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather asked Para whether he wanted to withdraw the bill, the legislator refused. Only the bill got three votes in favour when it was put to vioce vote. Besides Para, assembly member Kupwara Fayaz Mir and AIP legislator Khursheed Sheikh voted in favour.
Para said that by rejecting the Land Bill, J&K Govt has rejected the people’s right to land and dignity. “The Chief Minister, who had earlier assured that any pro people initiative from the PDP would face no obstacles under his leadership, has once again reneged on his word. This marks yet another U-turn added to his growing list of unfulfilled guarantees and promises,” Para said, adding that it was deeply unfortunate that a bill aimed at securing a roof over the heads of the poorest of the poor is now being portrayed as an act of “land grabbing.”
PDP president and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said that NC fulfilled the wish of BJP that had threatened to block passage of the bill.
“The BJP’s threat to block the passage of the PDP’s land regularisation (anti-bulldozer) bill which they branded as the “Land Jihad Bill” was fulfilled today, ironically, by the ruling NC government itself. The chief minister, who had earlier assured that any pro people initiative from the PDP would face no obstacles under his leadership, has once again reneged on his word. This marks yet another U-turn added to his growing list of unfulfilled guarantees and promises,” Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X. “It is deeply unfortunate that a bill aimed at securing a roof over the heads of the poorest of the poor is now being portrayed as an act of land grabbing. Even more tragic is that it was rejected by the very House these people overwhelmingly trusted and elected barely a year ago,” she said.
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma said that he welcomes that PDP’s land bill was rejected today. “I appreciate CM Omar for this. The PDP was shown mirror today when its bill got rejected.”