JK Congress opposes new land laws; PDP stages protest

Srinagar:  The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on Wednesday joined the other mainstream parties in opposing the new land laws notified by the Centre for the union territory.
“The Congress party rejects the new land laws and vows to fight for the protection of people’s rights,” JKPCC president Ghulam Ahmad Mir said while addressing a public gathering in the Gurez area of Bandipora district.
He termed the new land laws as an assault on the rights of people and said the Congress party would not accept such “anti-J&K decisions” by the Centre.
The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, an amalgam of various mainstream parties in Jammu and Kashmir including the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had also condemned the amendments to the land laws and pledged to fight it on all fronts.
The Centre had on Tuesday cleared the decks for people from across the country to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir by amending several laws.
In a gazette notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs made several changes to the land laws, including one that allows the use of agricultural land for setting up facilities of public purpose.