The law grants permanent resident-ship to non-locals with 15-years of stay in J&K, and opens gazetted and non-gazetted government jobs to citizens from all other states.
Srinagar: All Parties Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Thursday accused BJP-led government of ‘systematically’ changing the demographic character of Jammu and Kashmir.
Reacting to the recent domicile law brought by Modi-government, a Hurriyat spokesperson said that the process to ‘change the demographic character’ of J&K started in August 2019, was being systematically carried forward and the recent domicile order was a part of that plan.
“Such orders are meant to facilitate the inflow and settlement of people from outside the state into J&K to turn the local residents of the state into a minority,” the Hurriyat spokesperson said.
He said that such attempts not only undermine the efforts for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, but were also an assault on the prospects of employment and growth of future generations of Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is an attempt to erode the unique cultural heritage of the regions,” the spokesperson said.
The Hurriyat spokesperson further said that since August last year, all such orders by GOI, and the manner in which they were being thrusted and implemented on people of J&K have been deeply distressing and painful for the people, to say the least.
“The timing of the order is unbelievable and suspect. At a time when the severe calamity of Covid-19 has struck, the whole world is battling for survival, such an order was issued,” the spokesperson said.
“People of J&K as elsewhere in the world, are under lockdown due to this grave medical emergency, and can’t even raise their voice against such an order to show their resentment,” he added.
The Hurriyat spokesperson urged the global community and people of India to ‘wake up’ to what is happening in J&K and respond to the situation in the light of ethics and principles of justice.
“This internationally acknowledged issue of J&K has to be resolved peacefully as per the wishes of its people and between India Pakistan and the people of entire J&K the three parties to the conflict,” the spokesperson added.
Clear Violation of International Law: Pak
Pakistan on Thursday accused India of “illegally changing the demographic structure” of Jammu and Kashmir, saying the new domicile rules were in “clear violation of international law”.
The Indian government on Wednesday laid down rules for domicile which can now be given to anyone who has resided in the Union Territory for 15 years.
This is “another illegal step by India to settle non-Kashmiris” in the region, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“This is a clear violation of international law, including the 4th Geneva Convention, it said.
The FO urged the UN and the international community to “take immediate cognizance of this Indian action and prevent India from changing the demography” of the region.
Under the new law, anyone who has resided for 15 years in Jammu and Kashmir or has studied for seven years and appeared in Class 10 and Class 12 examinations in an educational institution located in the Union Territory is a domicile.
Pakistan has been unsuccessfully trying to drum up international support against India for withdrawing Jammu and Kashmir’s special status on August 5 and bifurcating it into two Union territories.
India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was its internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda. (PTI)
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