YouTube videos on how to become domicile of Kashmir fetch thousands of views

Srinagar: Showing people’s eagarness to become domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir, several videos on how to apply for the certificate have come up on YouTube and have been viewed by thousands within days of them being uploaded. 

The certificate allows non-locals to buy land, pursue education, get employment in Jammu and Kashmir, which until the reorganisation of the erstwhile state was reserved for natives only.

In fact, a cursory look at the recent Google search strings shows people, who usually search for latest news about Kashmir, are now searching about how to get domicile certificate in Kashmir.

Users are widely searching with strings like ‘domicile certificate Kashmir’ and ‘domicile certificate kaise banaye (how to get domicile certificate)’ on Google and YouTube.

Over a dozen videos have come up in the past few weeks guiding people on how to apply online for the certificate.

For instance, in just three days after uploading, one YouTube channel ‘Prajila Tech’ has nearly 4000 views on its video titled ‘Apply/ Download Domicile Certificate for Jammu Kashmir through Govt jkeservices Online 2020’.

Similarly another video, ‘apply for J&K domicile certificate online from home (Hindi) / How to apply online’ by a channel ‘all in one learners J&K’ has over 9300 views in just four days after it was uploaded.

The video gives step by step instruction on how to apply for the certificate online on J&K government’s official portal www.jkgov.in.

More people are searching for the process to apply for the certificate after J&K government launched an online application for issuance of domicile certificate earlier this week.

“The PRC holders and other applicants can apply for issuance of domicile certificate online by providing Aadhaar number and receive the certificate through online mode. PRC holders will be able to receive their Domicile Certificate through this application without visiting any office,” read a government communique on June 22.

As per the redefined domicile law, those who have resided in Jammu and Kashmir for 15 years or studied for 7 years and appeared in secondary and higher secondary board examinations in the Union Territory will be considered a domicile.

Besides, the J&K government has fast-tracked the process to get the certificate within a fortnight and a government officer who fails to issue it on time may attract punishment of having to forfeit up to Rs 50,000 from their salary.

So far, as many as 25,000 people including a senior IAS officer have been granted domicile certificates in Jammu and Kashmir, media reports said on Friday.

Navin Kumar Choudhary, a senior J&K cadre IAS officer from Bihar is among those who have been acquired it.

A picture of Navin’s domicile certificate went viral on social media on Friday.

J&K government has received 33,157 applications for domicile certificates in J&K of which over 25,000 people have been granted the citizenship certificate, reported The Tribune.

It added that Srinagar was the only district which has received 65 application for domicile certificates but not a single one has been issued so far.

Interestingly, nearly 32000 applications have been received in 10 districts of Jammu alone, while as Kashmir has received 720 applications, the report added.

The move has triggered huge criticism and is being dubbed as one of the steps to “alter the demography” of Jammu and Kashmir.

“All our misgivings about the new domicile rules in J&K are coming to the fore. We in @JKNC_opposed the changes because we could see the nefarious design behind the changes. The people of J&K on both sides of the Pir Panjal mountains will be the sufferers of these domicile rules,” former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted on Friday.