The Central Government’s order defining domicile law for J&K is another hoax by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leadership with the people of the UT, said Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader.
Tarigami said that it has escalated fears among the residents of Jammu and Kashmir losing not only jobs but also land to outsiders post revocation of Article 370 that granted J&K special status. “According to the new order, domicile certificate is required for jobs upto level 4 only while other posts, including gazetted and non-gazetted are open for all citizens of India. After some time majority of such posts will be held by non-locals” he said.
the CPIM leader stressed that 15-years and 10-years cap, as has been put in 3A of the new domicile law is primarily meant for children of security forces personnel and other central government employees. It means after five years they may need to settle them here.
Tarigami asserted that unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir is already higher than the average national unemployment rate. “With the new law, whatever little jobs in government sector were being provided to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir will no more be exclusive for them” he said.
Tarigami questioned that there are many places in India, like the tribal areas of Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Sikkim where people from rest of the country can’t buy land, why target J&K only? When Maharaja Hari Singh was ruling J&K in 1927, Dogras and Kashmiri Pandits, who were more educated, agitiated domicile guarantees. They ensured that no outsiders must come and buy land in J&K or get jobs. The Maharaja brought State Subject in 1927 and made it into a law. No one objected then, a statement by Tarigami read.
He further said that the arbitrary decision of the BJP government to revoke Articles 370 and 35-A was the murder of democracy and an attack on the Constitution. The BJP violated the norms to convert J&K State into a Union Territory overnight without the consent of the stakeholders. “The Centre was defying all democratic norms to achieve its objects. The manner in which the government of India is dealing with J&K is a grave warning about the danger posed to erstwhile state’s rights and federalism. Such moves have to be unitedly opposed for the welfare of the people and integrity of the country” Tarigami said.
