| Second thought: Omar, Sajad join Mehbooba in ‘land for homeless’ chorus | | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 6: A day after former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party, President Mehbooba Mufti accused the J&K administration of “bringing the people from outside under the garb of land for landless and home for the homeless to change the region’s demography”, her counterpart from the National Conference Omar Abdullah joined the chorus.
Whereas Omar Abdullah on July 6 questioned the Raj Bhawan over the issue, his reaction seems to be a “second thought” as Omar broke his silence on the issue only when the government has issued a clarification to Mehbooba’s statement.
“LG Manoj Sinha Govt should first clear who are Homeless, how they are categorizing them? Are counting those homeless as well who came here just a week ago? Government should also not include those in this category who came here after abrogation of Article370. Only those should be included who were settled here before 2019,” Omar told the media persons on July 6.
Earlier on June 5, Mehbooba Mufti, addressing a press conference at PDP headquarters in Srinagar said that after the abrogation of Article 370, the administration considers the jobs, water resources, and land of the people of J&K as “war booty”.
“The administration wants to turn the paradise into a slum,” she said. “In entire India, J&K is a green belt and they want to convert it into a slum. Efforts should have been to make the life of the people of J&K better. By importing investment from outside they are importing poverty and slums to Kashmir.”
Observers said it was a second thought on the part of Omar Abdullah to raise the issue when the government had issued a clarification.
“A few hours after her (Mehbooba’s) press conference, Jammu and Kashmir government clarified on the issue through handout. So what was the fun of Omar Abdullah to raise the stale issue,” asked an observer.
Interestingly, later in the afternoon, Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone also joined the debate. “Now that questions are being raised. It will be prudent for the state administration to make it clear whether providing land to the landless and homeless, comprises of only the erstwhile domicile holders pre 5 August 2019. Per se if lists have been framed prior to 2019, as asserted by the rural development department, the list will not comprise of any newcomers. Clarification is a must,” Sajad Lone said. |
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