Omar demands statehood, elections

Says high time people get to decide laws governing them; NC calls amendment to domicile law ‘cosmetic’

Srinagar, Apr 4: Demanding restoration of statehood for J&K and conduct of elections, former J&K CM and vice president National Conference, Omar Abdullah Saturday said that it was “high time” people of J&K get to decide the laws governing them.

“It’s high time the people of J&K get to decide the laws that will govern them rather than being subjected to the whims & fancies of the centre where orders are issued in the morning & changes to the same order issued in the evening. Restore statehood, conduct elections. #Democracy,” Omar tweeted.

He also shared a party statement on the same matter.

In it, NC termed the amendments to domicile law “another example of central governments toying around with J&K and its people, and a move bereft of any guarantee against demographic changes here.”

Pertinently, the Centre late Friday night again amended J&K Domicile law days after it had made major changes to it.

As per the fresh amendments, all jobs, and not just low-rung ones as was the case earlier, will now be reserved only for domiciles of J&K.

While calling the amendments “cosmetic in nature”, party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said Government of India “has just changed the route for non-state subjects, while the destination is still open.”

“Instead of directly applying for the job, the non-state subjects will first be doled out a domicile certificate and then the job,” he said adding that the provision of keeping domicile for anyone staying in J&K for 7 years and above has already accommodated lakhs of non-state subjects here.

“There is not an iota of doubt that domicile law will change the demography of J&K and will essentially rob the rights of locals to jobs here,” he said.

He added: “The silence of GoI over land rights in J&K is suspicious. Domicile Law is mute on the protection of land rights as there is nothing in the notification that offers protection to original subjects of J&K.”

 “Will J&K need to do another round of ‘begging’ before New Delhi does a ‘favour’ of speaking out on this concern?” he said.

The party said that democratic rights of people are in abeyance and New Delhi has no excuse to continue its highhandedness.

Demanding restoration of democratic process, Imran said, “People of J&K have a right to decide for themselves. How long will New Delhi trample upon this fundamental right to democracy?” He added, “It is long due that people be allowed to choose their own government, a government that will represent their voice. It’s imperative that J&K has the same legislative set up that it had prior to Aug 05. Else it is but a glorified municipality meant to muzzle the true representative voices.”

“It is humiliating that we have to wait for central government orders for everything to do with our lives. J&K is slapped with one law in evening and an amendment in morning. It reflects what we have been relegated to – a people whose fate is decided by a few sitting in New Delhi,” he further said.