Modi Govt’s New Land Policy for J&K Overturns 7 Decades of Land Reform

The Centre on Tuesday notified the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of Central Laws) Third Order, enabling a host of new changes to the former state.

Under the new arrangements, no domicile or permanent resident certificate is required to purchase non-agricultural land in the UT. The Union home ministry has also notified the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, paving way for the acquisition of land in J&K by all Indian citizens. Previously, article 35-A of J&K Constitution, watered down on August 5, 2019, placed prohibitions on the sale of land to those who were not state subjects.

The latest order also empowers the government to declare any area in J&K as ‘strategic’ and intended for the direct operational and training requirement of the armed forces at the behest of an army officer of or above the rank of a corps commander.

If all of this is part of the BJP’s long-standing agenda of ending J&K’s ‘special status’, there is another change that many in the rest of India may not realise the significance of: the government’s order has also abolished the historic Big Land Estate Abolition Act, 1950 – under whose aegis the

— source thewire.in | Shakir Mir | 28/Oct/2020

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In J&K, Language Has Always Been a Political Tool for Polarising People

The decision to include Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi in the list of officially accepted state languages in Jammu and Kashmir does not promote inclusivity, as has been projected.

In fact, it uses language as a political tool to further widen the gap that has been polarising identities in an otherwise abundantly diverse ‘state’ for a long time now. Much has been said about the exclusion of Pahari, Punjabi and Gojri from that list.

In 1991, the Gujjars and Bakerwals were granted Scheduled Tribe status among others from a reviewed list of ethnicities forwarded to the Central government, that included Paharis as well. But Paharis were left out of the ST list and since then, they have actively pursued demands for reservation based on their similarity with the Gujjars, when it comes to lifestyle, topography and distinct language and other socio-cultural parameters on which Gujjars were chosen.

In fact, since the 1970s, the community has been raising its demands through various state-level civil society organisations like Jammu & Kashmir Pahari Cultural and Welfare Forum (JKPCWF), Jammu and

— source thewire.in | Malvika Sharma | 11/Sep/2020

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Jobs and land reform connection of Kashmir issues

There was a mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir 30 years ago on January 19 and 20, 1990. What had happened in the 90s that KPs had to leave their home? Historically, what has been the relationship between KPs and Muslim residents of the Valley? How have the KPs fared in the past 30 years? Ashok Kumar Pandey, author of Kashmirnama, answers these questions.

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Who is Davinder Singh and Why is Big Media Silent About Him?

I The Wire I Arfa Khanum Sherwani

Arfa Khanum Sherwani speaks to Anuradha Bhasin, editor of Kashmir Times and Sanjay Kapoor, editor of Hard News, about the questions that Davinder Singh’s arrest has raised.

2013 sog inspector Shiv Kumar Sharma alias Sonu caught on similar charges. witness hostile at court.
major Avtar Singh who killed human right lawyer Jaleel Andrabi. he was protected. and later sent to California. in an interview he said if i am caught i will open my mouth about others.

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