Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Nov 3: While the BJP Govt at the Centre has announced to provide constitutional safeguards for protection of lands, jobs, culture and identity of Ladakh, it was disturbing to note that the people of J&K were not even taken on board while enacting the new land laws recently extended to the JK UT.
Addressing public meetings in Vijaypur area of district Samba today, Singh said that newly extended land laws are being seen as a threat to the culture and identity of Dogra land in particular in view of huge settlements of non- state subjects in and around Jammu as also the preference of outsiders for Jammu over Kashmir. This would not only result in divesting the vulnerable sections of people from their marginal land holdings but eventually end up with their enslavement at the hands of outside corporates.
NPP leader said that the outsiders would get all rights including those of employment in J&K thus squeezing the already negligible job avenues for the local youth. He said this could create a Maharashtra like situation in J&K with locals Vs non locals issues prejudicially affecting governance and development in the days to come.
Questioning the Govt over the different yardsticks applied for Ladakh and J&K which earlier formed part of the same state, Singh said that if the Centre could agree to Ladakhis demand for safe guarding its distinct identity besides its Jobs and lands exclusively for locals, what prompted it to dilute the culture and identity of Dogras who created history by their heroic exploits and countless sacrifices for the nation. And why did the BJP revert back by taking a somersault from its original stand assuring to provide similar safeguards for JK UT as repeatedly announced post States re-organization, Singh added.
Ex-MLA Samba Yash Paul Kundal, while speaking on the occasion sought subsidized power supply for the farmers on the analogy of concession given to industrial and commercial houses. He called upon the BJP Govt to fulfill the promise of 5 marla plots to border dwellers besides seeking a special recruitment drive for the inhabitants of all border villages.
Prominent among those who spoke on the occasion included GP Singh, YP Sharma, Surinder Chouhan, Capt Sultan Singh, Kulbir Singh, Chain Singh, Vaid Raj and others.
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