05-07-2023 : In a recent press conference held at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Mufti, the President of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) and former Chief Minister, raised serious concerns regarding the government’s “home for homeless” policy announced recently. She expressed apprehension that the administration’s actions might be altering the demographic composition of Jammu & Kashmir.
Mufti criticized the policy, claiming that it was importing slums and poverty into the region under the guise of providing housing to homeless individuals. She believed that this initiative aimed to alter the demographic makeup of the region, possibly with a motive to increase the BJP vote bank. Mufti questioned the authenticity of the alleged 199,000 landless people in Jammu and Kashmir. She cited figures presented by the central government to Parliament, indicating that there were only 19,000 homeless families in the region. This disparity raised doubts and highlighted the need for clarification.
Earlier, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had announced the allocation of 5 Marla plots to landless families for constructing houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY). However, Mufti questioned why the Kashmiri Pandits, who have been living in one-room accommodations in Jammu for the past three decades, were not provided with land.
Expressing her concerns, Mufti accused the government of treating Jammu and Kashmir as a “war booty” and neglecting the welfare of its people. She worried that the region might be transformed into a slum instead of focusing on overall development. Mufti acknowledged the growing realization among the people of Jammu regarding the potential consequences of these policies. She warned that the negative effects would manifest in Jammu before affecting Kashmir, terming the policy a provocation to the local population.
Drawing inspiration from Ladakh, Mufti encouraged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to demand the inclusion of land rights and jobs in the Sixth Schedule. She admired the residents of Ladakh for launching a non-cooperation movement opposing outside investments in tourism and pledged her support to them.
Mufti viewed the various actions taken by the central government in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370 as attempts to diminish the presence of its inhabitants. She expressed surprise at the timing of the order concerning landless individuals, which coincided with the Supreme Court’s consideration of petitions challenging the revocation of Article 370.
Mufti called upon the people of Kashmir and Jammu to unite and resist these measures, taking inspiration from the people of Ladakh.