![JKSAC president Gurdev Singh addressing press conference at Press Club in Jammu on Monday. -Excelsior/Rakesh JKSAC president Gurdev Singh addressing press conference at Press Club in Jammu on Monday. -Excelsior/Rakesh](https://cdndailyexcelsior.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Page5-6-1-696x376.jpg)
Transfer of evacuee’s land
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 2: The Jammu Kashmir Sharnarthi Action Committee (JKSAC) expressed its strong resentment over a Govt order regarding transfer of evacuee’s land on proprietary basis in favour of Displaced Persons (DPs) of PoJK 1947, 1965 & 1971 and West Pakistan Refugees now called displaced persons (WPDPs).
This order has made a mockery of exploiting the sentiments of displaced persons in general and of PoJK in particular. The above mentioned order, in fact, infringes the occupancy tenancy rights of displaced persons of 1947, 1965 & 1971 over evacuee’s land granted under Section 3-A of the Jammu & Kashmir Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976 and over State land granted vide Govt. order 254-C of 1965 dated July 7, 1965.
While addressing the media Gurdev Singh president JKSAC along with senior leaders of all tehsil and districts units strongly condemned the Government for issuing this illogical order without taking into consideration the problems confronted DPs in respect of their allotted lands since allotted. He said that the DPs never made such a demand for the reason that during all these years since attaining rights under Agrarian Reforms Act and GO 254-C of 1965 have been transferring their given rights over Evacuees and State lands through sale /mortgage/ gift deeds etc and the transferee beneficiaries doing their multiple activities over such lands since long without any hindrance.
He said, that now the order dated 16-08-2024 and Govt orders No 100 and 101 dated 02-08-2024 issued by J&K UT in respect of conferment of ownership rights to the displaced persons of 1965 over State land and conferment of proprietary rights to the West Pakistan Displaced Persons over State land respectively have stipulated conditions of continuous recorded personal cultivation of Evacuee’s land or State land as the case may be before conferment of ownership/ proprietary rights as applicable in terms of above mentioned government orders in favour of the displaced persons or persons in legal possession of land by instruments of transfer when no such conditions were stipulated while granting the rights under Agrarian Reforms Act of 1976 and Govt order No 254-C of 1965 and other related orders.
He said govt order further stipulated that neither Evacuee’s land situated within the limits of Municipal Corporation/ Committees shall be transferred nor proprietary rights on the land situated within the limits of Municipal Corporation/ Committees shall be conferred under any circumstances.
These orders further restrain transfer of such land or grant of proprietary rights if the displaced persons have converted the land for use other than agriculture except for residential purpose / allied activities as permitted under the Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act , Svt., 1966.
The connotation of these restrictions if understood in their right perspective manifest explicitly that the occupancy tenancy rights granted under Agrarian Reforms Act of 1976 and vide government order 254-C of 1965 have been taken away vide above quoted government orders of August 2024, thus depriving the displaced persons of their legitimate rights and interests over the legally allotted evacuee’s and State land in violation of the said Agrarian Reform Act and govt. order of 1965.
Gurdev Singh further said that the claim of the LG Administration and as well as certain political parties especially BJP of granting transfer/proprietary rights to displaced persons are nothing but cruel joke with displaced persons of different categories just to gain political mileage.
JKSAC strongly condemns the action of the government in playing with the future and sentiments of the displaced persons and demands immediate withdrawal of these orders.