The CentralGovernment’s order defining domicile law for Jammu and Kashmir is “anotherhoax by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leadership with the people ofJ&K”, CPI (M) said in a statement issued here.
” It has escalatedfears among the residents of Jammu and Kashmir losing not only jobs butalso land to outsiders post revocation of Article 370 that granted J&Kspecial status. According to the new order, domicile certificate is requiredfor jobs upto level 4 only while other posts, including gazetted andnon-gazetted are open for all citizens of India. After some time majority ofsuch posts will be held by non-locals,” the statement said.
“15 years and 10years cap, as has been put in 3A of the new domicile law is primarily meant forchildren of security forces personnel and other central government employees.It means after five years they may need to settle them here,” it said. “Unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir is already higher than the average nationalunemployment rate. With the new law, whatever little jobs in government sectorwere being provided to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir will no more be exclusivefor them,” the statement said.
The statement said”arbitrary decision of the BJP government to revoke Articles 370 and 35-A wasthe murder of democracy and an attack on the Constitution”. “BJP violatedthe norms to convert J&K State into a Union Territory overnight without theconsent of the stakeholders. The Centre was defying all democratic norms toachieve its objects.
The manner in whichthe government of India is dealing with J&K is a grave warning about thedanger posed to erstwhile state’s rights and federalism. Such moves have to beunitedly opposed for the welfare of the people and integrity of the country,”the statement said.
It said under theprevailing situation, the least government of India can do is to releasepolitical leaders and workers languishing in different jails and start acredible process of dialogue with all shades of opinion. “The position of theCPI (M) is clear over the issue as we want restoration of Articles 370 and 35Ain its original form. In fact the CPI (M) and others have already challengedPresidential Order CO 272 of 5-08-2019, Presidential Order CO 272 of 6-08-2019and J&K Reorganization Act, 2019 in the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” thestatement said.
“There are manyplaces in India, like the tribal areas of Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Nagalandand Sikkim where people from rest of the country can’t buy land, why targetJ&K only? When Maharaja Hari Singh was ruling J&K in 1927, Dogras andKashmiri Pandits, who were more educated, agitated domicile guarantees. Theyensured that no outsiders must come and buy land in J&K or get jobs. TheMaharaja brought State Subject in 1927 and made it into a law. No one objectedthen,” the statement said.