Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 29: IkkJutt Jammu has hailed the repeal of Roshni Act 2001 viz., Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act 2001.
In a press conference here today IkkJutt Jammu (IJ) Chairman, Ankur Sharma called it Nation’s victory and congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and J&K Governor, S.P Malik for the ‘bold decision’ to revoke the Roshni Act.
“Only on Nov 18, 2018, the IkkJutt Jammu had urged the Governor to immediately repeal the Roshni Act in the State in general and Jammu province in particular through legislation as the Act was intended to change Jammu’s demography,” he said and added that the stand of IkkJutt Jammu has been vindicated.
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He alleged that Roshni Act was a conspiracy against State allegedly hatched by Farooq Abdullah in 2001 and perpetuated by those who succeeded him including Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
Sharma said that Roshni Act not only caused a loss of Rs. 25,000 crores to the State exchequer but also gave impetus to the ongoing demographic changes in Jammu province.
Anyhow, IkkJutt Jammu Chairman expressed dissatisfaction over the decision of the J&K Govt for not retrieving the land occupied illegally invoking the Roshni Act.
Sharma said the Act has to be thrown out lock, stock and barrel and all the transactions done under it before its revocation must be cancelled and the State land be retrieved.
Sharma also demanded withdrawal of Feb 14, 2018 Mehbooba Mufti’s illegal order allowing State/Forest land encroachment and bovine smuggling/cow slaughter, minority rights for the minority communities including Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains and Christians and repeal of Article 35 A & Article 370.
His other demands included implementation of Supreme Court order dated March 2018 that directed the Union Govt and the J&K Govt to set up Minority Commission in J&K to identify the minorities in the State.
Vacation of forests, river beds, mountains and State land in Jammu province so that ecology is protected and preserved and environment remains conducive for holistic human growth.
Sharma informed that although the Governor fell short of providing for recovery of lands from the beneficiaries in the repealed Act, yet he has started the process of recovery of lands through J&K High Court.
“The Division Bench of the High Court has already quarantined all the beneficiaries by restraining them to carry out construction and transaction of all types on the Roshni regularised lands,” he maintained.