Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: Various political parties of J&K UT have welcomed the Union Home Ministry decision to reverse its decision on Domicile Law by reserving all jobs to J&K domiciles.
Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP), president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari while welcoming the Government of India’s move for amending the new domicile order and reserving all groups of jobs both in non-Gazetted and Gazetted services for the residents of J&K, however, pledged to continue his party’s efforts to get this law revisited in its entirety to remove the remaining loopholes till it satisfies the aspirations of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Extending gratitude to Union Home Minster, Amit Shah and National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, the JKAP president said their personal intervention has made the much needed amendments to Domicile Law possible in a very short span of time.
However Congress has questioned the new amended Domicile Law for jobs in J&K and termed it another bluff with the youth of Jammu Kashmir.
Congress has asked where is promise of jobs for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir only, post abrogation of article 370, as the new Domicile Law now entitles the outside eligible youth to apply and compete for all the posts in J&K from top to bottom including Class IV.
JKPCC, Chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir has termed the last night amendment as cosmetic and another bluff with the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, as all those who have declared and qualified for domicile are now eligible from gazetted posts to class IV posts in J&K, he said.
He said that the youth of J&K have been befooled again, as they have been conveyed that all Jobs in J&K are for the youth of J&K and when they would understand the reality and realise that they have been cheated again, they will question the bluff of BJP and others those who are trying to mislead the youth and claim credit for the change.
Mir said that at the time of abrogation of special status, the youth of J&K were given to understand that their exclusive rights to Government jobs would be protected at all costs. Time and again it was repeated by the Government authorities and top BJP leadership but unfortunately that came out to be false and youth are betrayed again.
Meanwhile former Union Minister Saifuddin Soz however has said that any change in the J&K Domicile Laws at this stage is fraught with dangers.
In a statement issued here, today he said this important matter should be left to future governments in J&K and no change be effected in the Domicile Law which pertains to rights of permanent residents of J&K.
National Conference (NC) provincial president, Devender Singh Rana today sought exclusive rights over the Government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir for the permanent residents as per the law enacted by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1927, saying they should be granted the status of Class One Domicile in the new Domicile Law.
“The Centre should also restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir”, Rana reiterated in a statement issued from Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this morning, adding that though this was not the opportune time for politics in view of the outbreak of Corona virus yet “we feel constrained to raise our concerns”.
Former Minister J&K and vice president J&K Congress, G. M Saroori welcomed the amendment introduced in reorganization act 2019 to reserve all jobs for the domiciles of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
BJP senior vice president Dr Narinder Singh while welcoming the decision said this shows that the BJP Government at Centre is more sensitive to the demands and aspirations of J&K youth and people. He said party believes in public opinion be given top priority instead of thrusting decisions on the masses.
“The BJP has always stood for welfare of the people of the UT and J&K’s its total integration with Union of India. The annulling of Article 370 and 35 a was also made to bring the J&K much more closer to rest of India”. He said the Domicile Law was not brought with any bad intension and in view of public opinion the party led Government at Delhi did not lose a single minute in changing the same in the larger interests of the youth of UT.
Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC) president Gurdev Singh, welcomed the timely taken decision by Ministry of Home Affairs to reverse the order issued under new Domicile Law and reserving all the categories of Government jobs for the educated youth of the domicile of UT of J&K. JKSAC urged upon the UT Government to include the wards of POK DPs in 4% reservation quota in jobs/technical institutions allotted to Pahari speaking people irrespective of their place of residence.
Dr Darakhshan Andrabi, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson and Chairperson of Waqf Development Committee of Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, has welcomed the Prime Minister. Narendra Modi and the Home Minister, Amit Shah for making the much needed amendment in the Jammu & Kashmir Domicile Law by which all jobs are now reserved for the residents of Jammu & Kashmir. Dr Andrabi termed it as a ‘timely decision taken by the Central Government keeping in view the aspirations of the people’. She said that this Government is willing to go to any extent to usher new era of prosperity, development and peace in Jammu & Kashmir.
All J&K POJK 1947 Sharnarthi Intellectual Forum whole heartedly welcomed the amended decision of J&K Domicile Law keeping in view the sentiments of J&K people.
The Forum in its meeting under the Chairmanship of its president Adv. Amrik Singh which was attended by general Secretary, Surjit Singh appreciated the intelligent decision taken by Amit Shah, Union Home Minister in reversing the earlier notification and issued fresh order in this regard. The Forum felt a sigh of relief and declared that the BJP Government is in realty a people’s Government which always abides by the public opinion in reversing the order which was issued on April 1 by the MHA and carried out amendment in Section 3A’ 5A an 8 of the J&K of civil services (Decentralisation and Recruitment Act).
Social activist, young entrepreneur , Marathoner and prominent member of the Jammu Chamber of Commerce & Industries, Gaurav Gupta described the Union Home Ministry’s decision of reserving all Government jobs in J&K for the locals as a combined victory of everyone in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, who raised their voice for the same.
AIBCU while criticising the BJP for playing ding dong policy in a statement issued here, today said that the order regarding Domicile issued on April 1 was revoked on April 3. But the order of the constituted Backward Classes Commission was issued on 23rd of March which is facing a strong criticism has not been modified till date.
The Union alleged that the Centre Government in no way can ignore the legitimate and Constitutional rights of the OBCs as their counter parts have been enjoying the full benefits of the Apex Court’s judgement of 1992 on Mandal report.
Welcoming the Ministry of Home Affair GoI decision for reserving all vacancies for J&K Domicile and inserted the new clause in Migrants Immovable Property Act 1997, Kashmiri Khatri Hindu Maha Sabha chairman, Er Ramesh Chander Mahajan said the decision of amending the ( Civil Services decentralization and Recruitment Act ) order issued on 4th April 2020 from Ministry of Home Affair for reserving all vacancies in the Government departments both Gazetted and Non Gazetted posts for all domiciles of UT of J&K is highly appreciable .
The National Students of India (NSUI) rejected the Domicile Law in J&K and said the permanent subject holders should only be entitled to jobs. “We also demanded the Statehood to be returned to the J&K, it was unconstitutionally divided into Union Territories”, said Neeraj Kundan national president, NSUI.
He said changes in Domicile provision is battle half won, adding “Our goal is taking statehood back for J&K”.
Castigating the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) over its repeated misadventures in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said that the Domicile Legislation, even in its amended form, portrays the real intention behind the scrapping of the special status of the erstwhile State.
PDP spokesperson and former legislator Firdous Tak in a statement here said that the opinion gets further strengthened with the fact that a law which is to govern 12 million population of Jammu and Kashmir was so offhandedly drafted that the Union Government had to change it within 72 hours. “This is the way most sensitive region of country is being handled only to further complicate the already chaotic situation of anarchy”.
Mukesh Parihar former State president J&K All India Students Federation (AISF) while commenting on the reversing of the decision of Domicile Law said changing definition of Domicile is more dangerous than loosing jobs:
OBC Department Pradesh Congress Committee J&K showed its resentment over the various Amendments and corrections of Domicile Law with regards to Union Territory of J&K, Adv. Suresh Kumar Dogra, Chairman of the organisation questioned the Central Government as well as Lieutenant Governor, G.C.Murmu that why the Government is so adamant regarding the legal and Constitutional rights of OBC peoples of J&K. He said Domicile Law and again its Amendments both are against the legal and Constitutional rights of the innocent OBC peoples of J&K.
Rakesh Singh, State president J&K SSRB Teachers/Masters Association has expressed his satisfaction and welcomed the Central Government amendment to Domicile Law.
Kashmiri Pandit Sabha (KPS) Jammu has welcomed the decision taken by the GoI to reverse the J&K Government jobs of all categories for the domicile of the UT of J&K alone.
The Sabha president, K K Khosa in a statement issued here, today said the promptness with which the amendment to the notification was issued is not only the praise worthy but also shows the concern that the GoI holds for the future of large number of the youth belonging to both regions of the UT.
He said throwing these jobs open for competition for the entire nation would have jeopardized the interests of the local youth belonging especially to the far flung areas of the UT.
Follow our WhatsApp channel