Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 14: Apni Party general secretary Vikram Malhotra today urged the Govt to withdraw discriminatory new land laws of October 26, 2020 so that neglected Mahajans and Khatris are accorded justice.
In a statement to the press, Malhotra said that these two communities i.e. Mahajan and Khatri have been deprived of fundamental right because of obsolete land laws and debarred them from purchasing or selling even a marla of agricultural land as per recent notified laws of J&K which are against the fundamental rights of the people of J&K.
Malhotra said that when there is no restriction on sale and purchase of land in the rest of the country, it is disappointing that Mahajans and Khatris have been debarred in J&K from buying agricultural land.
He said the discrimination with these two communities under the new laws of J&K Union Territory has led to strong resentment among the people and they feel cheated by ruling BJP following the abrogation of special status. He said that before this law, Mahajans were in the profession of agriculture on their own land, but this order has debarred them to be agriculturalists.
He appealed to the Govt to withdraw this discriminatory order in the interest of the society particularly these two communities having approximate population of 15 lakh in J&K.
Malhotra said that if the disparity in the new land laws is not removed, it would create a storm in Jammu against the ruling party and people may come on the roads for their rights.
“There is disappointment and anger among both the communities who have been neglected despite knocking at the doors of the Govt repeatedly. The anger is against the BJP which had promised them good days, but left people of Jammu mid way amid confusion about their future and their status with reference to agriculturalists,” he added.
He said that even as new land laws bar transfer of agricultural land to the non-agriculturalists and omit the earlier relaxation of four kanals available in repealed J&K Alienation of Land Act. However, the first proviso of section 133H provides a window which says that Govt or an officer authorized by it in this behalf may grant permission to an agriculturist to alienate the land to a non-agriculturist by way of sale, gift, exchange or mortgage or for such agreement on such conditions as may be prescribed.
Malhotra said that during Maharaja Hari Singh’s rule there was no blanket ban like this and everyone was treated equally. “The BJP has misled the people by exploiting them emotionally and now, they have been exposed. The situation has come when BJP leaders avoid coming in public places amid increasing anger against the political party which has breached the trust of Jammu,” he added.
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