Jammu: Peerzada Ashiq, who posts as @peerashiq on the X social media platform, wrote: “Massive mandate is meant for decisive decisions. J&K govt shows spine to ensure outsiders don’t use money power to usurp properties built with sweat, toil by locals. Safeguarding job providers of Kashmir guarantees upward mobility of marginalised locals. First reversal post 2019”.
He was referring to the National Conference(NC) government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah allowing its MLA Tanvir Sadiq to move a private bill in the legislative assembly. The bill seeks to regularise the irregularities committed by several hoteliers across the Union Territory(UT), particularly in places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam etc. to usurp government land. In 2022, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha held all departments, the land use and lease rules had been amended with a view to generate revenue for the exchequer.
According to the 2022 amendment, the leases of the hotels, as also other establishments, were not to get automatic renewals as in the past. Instead, these properties were to be auctioned to the highest bidders. This was meant to generate crores of rupees in revenue for cash strapped J&K which does not generate enough revenue even to pay salaries to its employees.
The properties, hotels and other structures, which are illegally in possession of hundreds of kanals of land, if auctioned, could have brought in crores of rupees to the exchequer. All Indians have been framed by Peerzada Ashiq as “outsiders’’ as if Article 370 still existed, using the language of pre-August 2019 era. Preventing open auctioning and instead allowing the extension of leases for very small sums, will enrich private individuals and give negligible money to the exchequer.
The aim of Tanvir Sadiq’s bill, which is as good as a government bill, as the entire NC and the MLAs supporting it are lined up to get it passed. The major beneficiaries of this bill will be powerful, politically connected crorepati hoteliers and not ordinary people, one BJP MLA explained.
Nedous bill
For framing his X post in this manner of outsiders versus people of J&K, Peer Ashiq got a stinker of a reply from a local user Amir Yousuf(@AmirYousufOnX), who wrote: This is nothing but the Nedous Bill, a move to favour Omar Abdullah’s relatives and a few Kashmiri hoteliers who exploit Kashmiris more than any outsider.
Incidentally, Nedous hotel owners are related to the Abdullah family and at Gulmarg, the hotel has grabbed over 180 kanals of land. It had barely been allotted and given the lease of around four kanals of land but is in possession of around 200 kanals. Its owners were evicted and the Gulmarg Development Authority(GDA) took possession of the property last year.
Tanvir Sadiq’s bill is a clearly a sleight of hand and trying to conceal all the illegalities and irregularities committed by Nedous and other hoteliers. It is not clear as to whether a law passed at generating revenue for the UT will be allowed to be overturned in this manner for benefiting rich, private individuals.
Patronage politics
This is clear and blatant political patronage and was flagged by BJP leader Sunil Sharma. He accused the government of enabling vested interests at the cost of the poor and marginalised sections of society. In a strong worded statement, LOP Sharma alleged that instead of ensuring justice and equitable governance, the present dispensation was “patronising those who have long benefited at the expense of the underprivileged”. He described the recent move by the government as “deeply unfortunate and alarming”, warning that such actions risk eroding public trust and undermining democratic accountability.
“Rather than ensuring justice for the marginalised, this government is enabling and patronising those who have long benefited at the cost of the poor”, Sharma said. The opposition leader termed the development a “clear betrayal of trust”, adding that the people of Jammu and Kashmir expect transparency and fairness from those in power. “The people of J&K deserve transparency, fairness and governance that serves all, not just a select few”, he said. Sharma urged the government to revisit its approach and prioritise policies that uphold equity, accountability and inclusive development.
Sajad Lone questions J&K government
People’s Conference(PC) leader Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) wrote: CM sahib allowed the introduction of private member bill. The government didn’t oppose it. The bill pertains to land. More specifically about extending the leases on government land that have expired. The bill pertains to some of the costliest real estate in Kashmir, worth I would guess about 70,000 to one lakh crores. Or maybe even much more. And no prizes for guessing.
It is aimed to help the super elite of Kashmir. May I ask what is in it for the poorest of the poor. Lakhs of poor families who have built houses on 2 Marlas or 3 Marlas or at the most a kanal. They continue to be persecuted on a daily basis. They are as helpless as they have been for decades. Do they don’t deserve a bill. I am not opposed to the bill per se. But it the super elite only who have to benefit. May I ask some questions. I asked them in Assembly. Never got an answer.
What is the total land in Kanals that belongs to the government and has been leased out. What is the lease amount that they have been paying till date, Sajad Lone questioned.
