J&K regional parties say Modi govt’s amendment to new domicile law is ‘cosmetic’, a ‘bluff’

Srinagar: Politicians in the newly created Union Territory (UT) are far from reconciling with the changes in job policies ushered in after the erstwhile state’s special status was abrogated last year.

Facing criticism in Jammu and Kashmir over the recently introduced domicile rules for job appointments, the Modi government on Friday amended the law. However regional parties described the changes as “cosmetic”, a “bluff” and a “token concession with a “backdoor left wide open”.

National Conference leader and former J&K CM Omar Abdullah for the first time after his release from detention last month raised the demand for the return of statehood and holding elections in J&K, where the elected government had fallen in summer 2018.

Steering clear from demands such as return of the now abrogated special status of J&K or the reversal of the bifurcation of the erstwhile state, Abdullah tweeted, “It’s high time the people of J&K get to decide the laws that will govern them rather than being subjected to the whims & fancies of the Centre where orders are issued in the morning & changes to the same order issued in the evening. Restore statehood, conduct elections,” said Abdullah in a twitter post sharing his party’s official stand on the amendments.

According to order issued on 31 March, all non-J&K locals — who have stayed here 15 years, served in central government services for 10 years, studied in the state for seven years and appeared in either the Class 10 or the Class 12 examinations, migrants registered by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner and children of those who fill the above criteria as well as children of officials in other government services were made domiciles and eligible for government jobs.

Both non-domiciles and domiciles (including natives and non natives) could apply for all categories of jobs except for non-gazetted class four ones which were specially reserved for domiciles

After the amendment, jobs have been reserved only for J&K domiciles, which include both natives as well those non-natives who fulfil the government criteria to be a resident. The special status of J&K barred outsiders from acquiring land, jobs among other things.

Party spokesperson Imran Dar said the provision of keeping domicile for anyone staying in J&K for seven years and above has already accommodated lakhs of non-state subjects here. “There is not an iota of doubt that domicile law will change the demography of J&K and will essentially rob the rights of locals to jobs here,” he said.

‘Token concession with a backdoor left wide open’

Threat of changing demography was also brought up by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through its official twitter handle. “While securing the future of our youth is pivotal, GOI should’ve addressed the apprehension regarding assault on demography of J&K. Token concession with a backdoor left wide open in the form of new domiciles does nothing to mitigate the aspersions cast on GOI’s urgent move during a life threatening pandemic,” the party tweeted.

Srinagar Mayor and spokesperson for former minister Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference, Junaid Mattu said “Two orders in a space of a few days. The reality of the domicile as it stares in our faces is that it was changed unrecognizably and remains unrecognizable. It is not even a pale shadow of what it was irrespective of the two domicile orders issued in the last few days. The sensitive and cherished aspect of sub-identity remains unguarded and virtually in a state of ‘free for all’. What has been added is a totally avoidable and ancient art of political monkeying”.

“The youth of J&K have been befooled again, as it has been conveyed that all jobs are for them. When they understand the reality and realise that they have been cheated again, they will question the bluff of BJP and others those who are trying to mislead the youth and claim credit for the change,” said G.A. Mir, leader of Congress party in J&K.

‘Exemplary gesture’

The newest political outfit of J&K, the Apni Party, which draws its ranks from politicians who left their respective parties in March to join a platform that looks beyond the special status, along with Jammu based National Panthers Party (NPP) and the Bharatiya Janata party, welcomed the amendments made by the Modi government.

Expressing his gratitude to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Apni’s party’s president and former PDP leader Altaf Bukhari said, “By this exemplary gesture, the youth of both regions of Jammu and Kashmir have ensured the domicile rights on jobs is an exclusive privilege which cannot be shared with non natives”.

The UT’s BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said party leaders from across J&K played a positive role in getting the domicile law amended within 24 hours.

‘Part of a manoeuvre’

Valley-based legal experts weighing on the subject described the 31 March order as well as the amendments part of a manoeuvre.

“They changed the nomenclature and permanent resident of J&K to domicile of J&K and within the domicile, they have created an avenue which enables any Indian to become domicile of the UT either by virtue of having served over here or by studying here. This will open floodgates for so many Indians claiming to be permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir, thus, transforming J&K as desired by RSS,” legal expert Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain told The print.

by Crescent Kashmir

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