India: New land rule in Jammu and Kashmir concerns Gulmarg hoteliers, former CM Omar Abdullah criticises BJP

Jammu and Kashmir's business community, especially the hoteliers of Gulmarg, are distressed as they might have to shut down their businesses as new land law cameinto effect in the Union Territory. The government of Jammu and Kashmir issued a notification, which stated that the owner must hand over possession of leased land immediately, failing which they shall be evicted. The government will not renew the leases of outgoing lessees, and an online auction will be held to outsource the land. The political parties have strongly opposed this decision and criticised the BJP government for taking such decisions against the locals of Jammu and Kashmir. The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah said that the current leaseholders should be given a chance to renew the lease. Also read |Kashmir becoming a drug hub, among top 2 places of drug abusers in India ''Taking away the land from people, and throwing them out like this? What's the need for that? The law of natural justice is that you give lease holders the right to renew the lease, they should have the first right of refusal. You can decide the rates,, if they are not able to give that rate or does not want to, then it can be given to anyone else. But first right is the current lease holder who took care of it for years. If LG takes that decision, then we won't have any issue with that. But from the order that has been taken it is very evident that they want to take away the land from the locals and give it to the outsiders, '' said Abdullah. PDP President Mehbooba Mufti has strongly opposed the decision as well. She said that BJP is snatching the land of locals and giving it to outsiders. She also took a dig at the central government by saying that China has made incursions in Ladakh, and Arunachal and they have no reply to that, but they want to take away the land from locals of the Union Territory. ''It's a big betrayal to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP calls us citizens and atoot angand are snatching the land from those very citizens. While China has captured our land both at Ladakh and Arunachal, BJP has no reply to that. They want to take away the land from the locals. They are taking our lands, resources. People who are doing business on these lands are being asked to vacate'' said Mufti. Altaf Bukhari, leader ofJ&K's Apni Party has also criticised the decision of the government as well. ''It cannot stand the scrutiny of law and It is Inhuman. We have not seen any laws like these anywhere, If the lease was not renewed by previous governments, it is not the fault of the business community. The lease needs to be extended to these already running businesseson the land," he said. However, the government does not seem to have any plans to bring any change in the notification. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinhasaid that the land laws in Jammu and Kashmir were regressive. H said, ''The land laws in Jammu and Kashmir were very regressive, They were not framed keeping in view the interests of the common masses. We are doing everything that will help the local people of the Union Territory.Around 40 to 45 per cent cases in various courts are due to land disputes." Also read |Former JK CM Omar Abdullah criticises BJP government over hostile relationship with neighbouring countries The 2022 land law in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir states thatland can be leased for education, healthcare, tourism, skill development and recreational purposes. The government can give the land toex-servicemen, war widows, and families of deprived categories. Gulmarg has around 60 hotels and huts built on the leased land. And the lease for around 99 per cent of hotels has expired. And the hoteliersof Gulmarg have said that if the lease is not renewed, all of them will have to shut their businesses. WATCH WION LIVE HERE