L-G intends to import poverty into Kashmir says Mehbooba 

Former J&K Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on July 5 accused the Lieutenant Governor’s administration of “playing a dangerous game”.

Former J&K Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on July 5 accused the Lieutenant Governor’s administration of “playing a dangerous game”. The government she fears is attempting to import 10 lakh people into the UT. The cover for this plan is a scheme to provide land to the landless.

“A dangerous game is being played in J&K on the pretext of providing land to the landless. We will not allow it. People of Jammu and Kashmir on the lines of Ladakh will resist such moves to import poverty and slums into J&K,” Ms. Mufti, said while addressing the media in Srinagar.

Ms. Mufti quoted the figures of the 2011 census of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and sought clarification from the L-G administration. 

“According to the 2021 report of the ministry, there are 19047 homeless people, including around 10,000 in urban areas and around 8000 in rural areas, in J&K. However, the L-G recently said land is being provided to 1.75 lakh families and aims to cover two lakh families, which comes to around 10 lakh people, under a Prime Minister’s scheme for landless people. Who are these people who intend to settle here? What is wrong with this government?” Ms. Mufti said.

The former J&K Chief Minister said the L-G administration is treating J&K after August 5, 2019, as “spoils of a war”. “After the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 in 2019, J&K’s land, jobs, resources etc. are being treated as spoils of war. Instead of working for the betterment of locals’ lives, this government is importing poverty and slums to a beautiful piece of land called J&K,” Ms. Mufti said.  

Ms. Mufti said the people of J&K did not join hands with India as refugees but came with a beautiful piece of land. “The same land is being snatched away from us. Such moves will be resisted. We will not let it happen. Why is the government, which claims Kashmir is peaceful after 2019, constantly provoking people? This provocation came just a day after the Supreme Court decided to hear the petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370,” she said.

She said there was an attempt to “unpeople locals and create a new thing in J&K”, which will further put stress on jobs, land, electricity, water etc. for State Subjects, a term used for locals prior to August 5, 2019. “Why are you pushing the people of J&K to the wall?” she said.