Ready to support NC govt in safeguarding land, jobs, resources of J-K people: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar, Oct 10: Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said her party will provide full support to the National Conference government for safeguarding the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir over land, jobs and resources.

She said that while the government waits for statehood restoration, it should do what it can until then.

“The government should come forward and bring a bill, and we should together try to save our land, jobs and resources. The PDP is ready to provide its full support to the government on this issue,” Mehbooba told reporters here.

She said that since 2019, when the Centre abrogated Articles 370 and 35-A, there has been “an insecurity” among the people of Jammu and Kashmir about their land, jobs and resources.

Referring to the Jammu and Kashmir Land Rights and Regularisation Bill, 2025 that her party has submitted for discussion in the forthcoming session of the Legislative Assembly, Mehbooba said the government should either help pass the bill or bring its own bill.

The PDP’s proposed legislation, also termed Anti-bulldozer Bill, aims to regularise land holdings of individuals, families and institutions who have been in continuous possession of these lands for over 30 years.

Mehbooba said her party has made a small start to address the issue.

“If the government does not like our bill, let them bring a bill. Till the statehood is restored, let them save whatever they can and provide some respite to people,” she added.

The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir claimed that thousands of kanals of land have been given to outsiders in the name of industrial development.

“Only half of that has been given to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. But how many industries have been set up, how many people have been employed so far? I do not see anything in Kashmir, but people in Jammu can better answer this,” she said.

Mehbooba said that while on one hand the Centre says that terrorism has ended in Jammu and Kashmir and the situation has improved, on the other, it has “made it easy to provide land to the security forces”.

“Can’t our hoteliers compete with Adani, Ambani or Jindals? It is not just the hotels, (land on) Gupkar Road is also on lease. What will Omar sahib do tomorrow if he is told that his lease has ended? Will he leave everything? Similarly, other people have their homes, hotels,” she said, adding that the government must do something on the issue.

The PDP chief alleged that security forces have evicted the family of Asifa Bano –“ the eight-year-old girl from a nomadic family who was raped and murdered in Kathua in 2018 –“ from a forest area in Samba in Jammu province.

“Yesterday, Asifa’s family was evicted by the forces from Chichi Mata forest area in Samba where they have been grazing their flock for over 100 years. What justice is this? I want to request the government that while you wait for the statehood, do what is in your hands till then,” she said.

She expressed hope that the Supreme Court will give a favourable decision on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmi’s statehood.

The PDP chief also welcomed the ceasefire pact between Hamas and Israel.

“I thank God for the ceasefire pact between Israel and Hamas by virtue of which the people of Palestine will have a sigh of relief,” Mehbooba said.

She added that it was a lesson for all that an aggressive country like Israel had to come to the talks table.

“This is a lesson for all leaders across the world who think issues can be resolved though violence. Spilling blood cannot resolve issues, you have to finally come to the table,” Mufti said.–(PTI)