Omar Abdullah asked why Jammu and Kashmir couldn’t have laws protecting its lands.
Srinagar:
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that many states, especially in the northeast of the country, have special laws relating to land ownership that people in other parts of the country cannot buy land there, and wondered why Jammu and Kashmir couldn’t have similar laws.
“There are many states like Himachal Pardesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Union Territories where no Indian can go and buy land even today,” said the former chief minister.
“Why are we just the ones who become anti-national when we talk about these laws? Why is there no media debate when similar voices (for special provisions) are heard from other states ? ” he asked, addressing a function at the headquarters of the National Conference in Srinagar.
Mr Abdullah accused the BJP-led center of pushing the main political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to the brink that he said have united in the battle to protect their land and identity.
“What do the Delhiwallas (Central) want? Do they want us to leave the mainstream? We are fighting to save our identity and our land,” he said.
Stating that it was not a crime to seek constitutional rights by peaceful and democratic means, he said: “Today there was a peaceful protest against the new (amended) land laws (by the PDP) but it was not allowed. seek our right in the Constitution and peacefully? “
Mr Abdullah said last year after the Lok Sabha elections, political parties expected assembly elections to be held in Jammu and Kashmir.
“But today we are fighting for our identity. Shame on those of us who still aspire to power. It is no longer about power,” he said.
Regarding the formation of the People’s Alliance, he said that the Center used “all kinds of tricks” to “weaken and divide us”.
“I wish I had forged an alliance sooner. Perhaps we could have avoided the situation (revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir),” he said, adding: “What we are doing. have to face today is due to this weakened voice. We were divided and they implemented their plan, our voice weakened and they tried to erase our identity “.
He further said that those who make “big claims on the merger of Jammu and Kashmir with India are still engaging in mother-in-law treatment with us,” saying land amendments made earlier this week were a good example.
The Center on Tuesday allowed people across the country to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir by amending several laws, a move that major political parties in the Union territory said amounted to putting up for sale of the old state.
