Kashmir parties say domicile rules meant to change demography

QUOTE: “The timing of the framing of the important rules is not only inappropriate but also grossly unethical. There is no popular, elected government in place in J&K wherein the legislature could have thoroughly discussed and deliberated upon the eligibility criteria for availing the domicile credentials,” said the JKAP spokesman.

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 19

Kashmir-centric political parties and the Hurriyat Conference have described the notification for the domicile policy rules for J&K as “ill-timed” and apprehended that all this was meant to change the demographic character of Kashmir.

Leading the campaign against the domicile certificate notification on Tuesday were the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party.

A National Conference spokesman said that Central government should have desisted from such a move as the matter regarding the special status was before the Supreme Court. He said all changes announced with regard to J&K, tinkering with its specials status and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories was “unconstitutional.”

The JK Apni Party (JKAP), in its statement, wanted the domicile law to be done away with and the decision to be left to the elected government.

“The timing of the framing of the important rules is not only inappropriate but also grossly unethical. There is no popular, elected government in place in J&K wherein the legislature could have thoroughly discussed and deliberated upon the eligibility criteria for availing the domicile credentials,” said the JKAP spokesman.

The party has also asked the Central government to revoke the domicile order.

The PDP said the orders like the one on domicile certificates “don’t settle anything”.

“Even a pandemic is no deterrent for the GoI to continue with its disempowerment project for J&K. Orders like the one on domicile certificates don’t settle anything, neither do they cover up the August 5 fraud. The demographic change and disenfranchisement will further complicate the J&K issue which has claimed thousands of lives so far. This will be resisted through all democratic and peaceful means,” the PDP spokesman said.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference said in the pandemic, the Centre was “sneakily speeding up new ordinances to effect a demographic change”.

“That this is being done at the time of the pandemic lockdown, which follows the August lockdown, so that people already under duress due to the repeated lockdowns are unable to protest it, makes it more condemnable,” the separatists said in a statement.