Sheer obstinacy: Congress slams BJP over new land laws

Tribune Reporters

New Delhi, October 28

A day after the Centre amended JK land laws allowing outsiders to own urban land in the UT, the Congress came out in support of the Gupkar Alliance members terming the move undemocratic.

“We oppose the JK land law because it does not follow the basic, elementary cannons of democracy. What is the degree of dialogue the Centre initiated with any stakeholder in Jammu and Kashmir? What was the attempt at a dialogue that the Centre made in this respect?” Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said recalling a related Congress Working Committee resolution which batted for the restoration of JK’s statehood and related legal safeguards in respect to land and other matters. Singhvi said there were two issues at hand in the Valley – the issue of JK statehood versus a UT and the issue of land laws.

“Of course we oppose the new land laws. The ruling BJP is doing politics of obstinacy. There has been zero discussion. Even minimal safeguards on the subject of land found in other states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the Northeast are not available to JK,” said Singhvi terming the distinction strange.

Asserting that those, who are opposing J&K land reforms, are disgruntled elements, Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said they were raising the bogey, as they felt that their vote bank was being threatened. Talking to mediapersons here the Minister, said the new land notification was a welcome step and the move would boost the the UT’s economy.

Jammu industrialists hail move

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for bringing a ray of hope for Industrialisation in Jammu and Kashmir, an apex body of Jammu-based industrialists on Wednesday welcomed the new land laws in J&K and said they will boost industrial growth in the Union Territory. — PTI