Jammu Welcomes Scrapping Of Article 370 But Residents Want Protection From Land Sharks

Many in Jammu were upbeat when the central government announced on August 5 that J&K would no longer have the special status accorded to it under Article 370 of the Constitution and the state would be restructured into two union territories. “A historic wrong had been righted” was a common refrain. For decades, sections of the Jammu population felt short-changed because of a perceived Kashmir domination in political and administrative matters.

Politicians, the trading class and young people in Jammu appear less optimistic. A fear of losing land, business and jobs because of the historic change is spiralling. Across political and business circles, the demand for bringing in amendments to The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in a bid to protect the land rights of locals is growing louder. “We have been in touch with the government and have conveyed that there should be some riders on the purchase of land,” said Rakesh Gupta, president of the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries. The business community in Jammu fears that without any restrictions on buying of land, the sale and purchase costs will soar to unprecedented levels.