Thousands of Kanals of Land Given to Outsiders in IIOJK Post 2019: Mehbooba Mufti

The Indian government’s actions in Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) since August 2019 have revealed a deeply disturbing plan, moving beyond political pressure to a full scale campaign of taking away land. Recent statements by Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti have confirmed the worst fears of the Kashmiri people. A clear design is in motion to change the region’s population by handing over thousands of kanals of land to outsiders. This is not a policy for development as New Delhi claims. It is a colonial style project aimed at erasing Kashmiri identity and making the local people powerless in their own homeland. The Modi government’s talk of peace and progress is a thin cover for a massive land grab that threatens the very existence of the people of Kashmir.

The Alarming Scale of the Land Takeover

The main weapon being used to reshape Kashmir is the large scale transfer of land. This policy has removed old protections and created an atmosphere of deep fear and doubt for the local residents.

♦ Vast Lands Given to Outsiders: According to Ms. Mufti, the administration has already given thousands of kanals of land to non Kashmiris. This is the most aggressive push to strip the local population of their land since 1947.

♦ Creating Widespread Insecurity: This state supported land transfer has made people feel extremely unsafe about their homes, jobs, and resources. The legal protections that once guarded them have been systematically destroyed by New Delhi.

The False Promise of Development

The Modi government has tried to justify this land seizure as a necessary step for industry and economic growth. This reasoning has no basis in reality and is widely seen as a dishonest excuse for its real plans.

♦ No Real Industrial Growth: The claims of bringing industries and jobs to the region are empty. As the PDP chief noted, there is no sign of new factories or major employment for locals because of these land deals.

♦ Development as a Cover Story: The story of development is being used as a convenient excuse to carry out a massive land grab. This policy benefits powerful outside groups at the direct cost of the Kashmiri people.

Opening the Doors for Corporate Control

The new land rules are designed to open up Kashmir’s economy to powerful Indian companies. This threatens to destroy local businesses and create a market controlled by giant mainland corporations.

♦ Threatening Local Businesses: The possible entry of major companies like Adani and Ambani into key areas like tourism is a direct threat to local hotel owners and business people who cannot compete with their huge financial power.

♦ Using Land Laws as a Weapon: The government is also using land lease rules as a tool of control. This creates doubt even for long time residents and business owners on prime properties like those on Gupkar Road in Srinagar.

Security as an Excuse for Seizing Land

In a conflicting move, the Indian government claims the security situation has improved while making it easier to take more land for its armed forces. This action further strengthens the military occupation of the territory.

♦ Contradictory Government Statements: New Delhi boasts of ending “terrorism” but continues to increase its military presence. This shows that its goal is not peace but permanent physical control over the land.

♦ Land for Soldiers, Not for the People: This policy makes it clear that the main goal is to house more troops and build more security posts, rather than using the land for the well being of the local population.

The Human Cost of Forced Evictions

The terrible human price of these heartless policies is most clear in the forced removal of poor communities. These evictions are carried out with a shocking lack of sympathy that shows the cruelty of the administration.

♦ The Tragic Case of Asifa’s Family: The recent eviction of the family of Asifa Bano, the eight year old girl who was brutally murdered in Kathua, from their traditional grazing lands is a very painful example of this injustice.

♦ Targeting Kashmir’s Nomadic People: This is part of a larger pattern of targeting the nomadic Gujjar-Bakarwal community. They are being systematically forced out of forest areas they have lived in for hundreds of years, which destroys their way of life.

A Desperate Appeal for Political Unity

Facing this threat to their existence, there is a growing call for Kashmir’s political leaders to unite. They are being urged to stand together to defend against New Delhi’s plans to take their people’s land.

♦ A Proposed ‘Anti Bulldozer Bill’: The PDP has suggested a new law to protect the land of ordinary people. This bill aims to provide a legal defence against the government’s campaign of demolitions and evictions.

♦ Urging the National Conference to Act: Ms. Mufti has publicly asked the current NC led government to use its power to protect what is left of the people’s rights. She has promised her full support for any action that protects land and resources.

The Real Goal: Changing the Population

When all the excuses are removed, the Modi government’s land policy in IIOJK has one clear objective. It is to engineer a change in the population that will permanently destroy the region’s Muslim majority character.

♦ Altering Kashmir’s Demography: By settling large numbers of outsiders and giving them land rights, New Delhi is actively trying to change the population balance of Kashmir, which has always been the basis of its unique political identity.

♦ A Plan for Total Control: This is not a random policy but a carefully designed political strategy. It is meant to weaken the collective voice of the Kashmiri people and crush their demand for self determination.

Conclusion: A Struggle for Survival

The situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is at a dangerous point. The Modi government’s policies are no longer just about political control. They are a direct attack on the existence of the Kashmiri people. The systematic transfer of land to outsiders is a clear attempt to change the region’s population and crush its spirit. As the land is taken, so is the future of its people. This has become a fight for survival, and the silence of the world allows this grave injustice to continue, pushing an entire population towards erasure in their own homeland.