Heated exchange of arguments between CM & Para
Srinagar, Oct 28: The Jammu & Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday disallowed the introduction of two private member bills- one brought by PDP’s Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra and another by BJP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia – while six other members withdrew their bills at the insistence of the government.
During the proceedings, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah opposed the introduction of “The Jammu and Kashmir (Regularization and Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Public Lands) Bill, 2025,” arguing that the government cannot legitimize illegality.
The Chief Minister, who also holds the Revenue portfolio, stated that the government cannot grant ownership rights to individuals who are in illegal possession of land and have constructed houses on it.
“How is it possible to legalize state land for those who have illegally occupied it and built houses on it? How can such an act be justified? Nowhere is it stated in the bill that if someone has already occupied state land and constructed a house, it should be legalized. This bill seems to convey that one can simply occupy land, build a house, and get it registered in their name,” Omar said.
He reiterated that the government cannot grant ownership rights to individuals who have illegally occupied state land and constructed houses on it. Omar said the government cannot accept the bill and urged the member to withdraw it.
Parra, however, countered him, saying he was retreating from his legacy.
“He is forgetting that he is the grandson of Sheikh Abdullah – the leader we call Sher-e-Kashmir -who introduced the land-to-the-tiller reform. The biggest issue in Jammu and Kashmir after August 5, 2019, has been land. Before that, if someone lived illegally on state land, it was considered safe. But now, state land -which belongs to the people – has been turned into non-state land,” he said.
“It is the legacy of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah -the land-to-the-tiller reform. If you withdraw from it, you are abandoning your own politics, your own promises, and your own policies. Should we then accept the BJP’s claim that this is ‘land jihad’?” Parra asked.
Parra alleged that bulldozers were used against Muslims in Jammu.
Countering him, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah accused him of dragging religion, region, and politics into the issue.
“Let us assume that bulldozers were used against them due to political reasons. Even then, I wouldn’t bring such a bill just to save them. A bill that is wrong is simply wrong. This is not a question of someone’s relatives, nor is it about someone’s religion. You are dragging religion, region, and politics into this. You are throwing justice out the window,” the Chief Minister said.
Later, the Speaker put the bill to a voice vote. Only two PDP members supported its introduction, while other members opposed it.
The House also opposed the introduction of a bill brought by BJP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia.
The legislators who withdrew their bills include Tanvir Sadiq, M Y Tarigami, Mir Saifullah, Nizam-ud-din Bhat, Altaf Ahmad Wani and Mubarik Gul. (KNO)
