Land Grants Rules used aggressively in Kashmir, leniency adopted in Jammu: Tanvir Sadiq

Srinagar, Oct 31: National Conference (NC) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Zadibal constituency, Tanvir Sadiq, on Friday said that the Land Grants Act Rules were being used aggressively in Kashmir while the authorities adopted leniency in the Jammu division.

He was speaking during the last day of the Autumn Session of the Assembly, which concluded on Friday.

Sadiq was speaking in reference to the figures provided by the government regarding expired leases in the Jammu division.

As per the reply to a query by MLA Sopore, Irshad Rasool Kar, 133 land leases had expired in the Jammu division.

“Speaker Sir, you will be surprised that 133 leased lands of Jammu have expired. As per the Land Rights Act of 2002, land leases have only expired in Kashmir, but nobody talks about it in the Jammu division,” he informed the Assembly.

Sadiq said that the hotels and houses of poor people were being bulldozed by the administration, while no such action was taken in Jammu against people whose leases had expired.

“In Jammu, 133 land leases have expired, but no one talks about it. People of Kashmir are given stepmotherly treatment,” he said.

The MLA Zadibal said that the purpose of these leased lands was to unite the two regions, but not to adopt leniency in Jammu and bulldoze Houses in Kashmir.

“In Kashmir, poor people have owned the land for the last 50 to 70 years, but their structures are being bulldozed and the court orders are being issued against them,” he said.

Sadiq said there was no discussion over expired leases in the Jammu division.

“You will be surprised to hear about Reasi that no lease has expired to date, but I know the factual position. There are so many hotels there as well,” he informed the House.

He said that the Bill introduced by PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para during the session was only to favour his relatives.

“But the bill that has been introduced by our party is aimed at the protection of people in Jammu and Kashmir. So I urge you that our Bill be accepted,” Sadiq said.

Later, in a post on microblogging site ‘X’, he said that in Kashmir, hotels, shops, schools, and homes, many in Srinagar and tourist zones, had been served eviction notices.

“In Jammu, however, similar leases are not touched or quietly renewed or regularised. This unequal implementation exposes the intent to unsettle Kashmir’s local ownership structure under the garb of transparency,” he posted on X. “These rules have also hit the backbone of our local economy, small hoteliers, shopkeepers, and cooperative societies who built their livelihoods over decades.”

Sadiq said that denying renewals and forcing auctions doesn’t empower people; it displaces Kashmiri entrepreneurs and opens doors for outsiders.

“Land reforms should mean justice, not prejudice. What is being called reform is, in truth, replacement - replacing trust with fear, and local ownership with outside control,” the post reads.

He said the government must ensure one law, one standard for both regions.

“Anything less is an assault on fairness and on the very idea of Jammu and Kashmir’s unity,” the post reads.