Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday rejected a private member’s bill seeking to grant ownership rights to those who have illegally built houses on government and community lands, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah warning that its passage would “open floodgates for land grab.”
The bill, introduced by PDP MLA Wahid Para, proposed recognizing proprietary or transfer rights for residents occupying such houses, citing the “right to shelter” under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Opposing the move, Abdullah said, “How can we pass a bill that benefits the land mafia and illegal encroachers? We cannot say whether these people are genuine citizens of Jammu and Kashmir or recent settlers who built houses illegally. We cannot legitimise that.”
Para was earlier urged to withdraw the bill but instead invoked the legacy of former chief ministers Sheikh Abdullah’s Land to the Tiller reforms and Farooq Abdullah’s 2002 Roshni Act.
In response, Omar Abdullah dismissed the comparison, clarifying that the original Roshni scheme under his father’s government only sought to convert lawful leasehold rights into ownership for those in legal possession before militancy began, with the revenue earmarked for power generation projects.
He said the later PDP-Congress government under Ghulam Nabi Azad removed the pre-militancy cutoff date, which led to widespread misuse, allegations of “land jihad,” and the scheme’s eventual scrapping by the court.
“This proposal goes far beyond the Roshni scheme. It seeks to legitimise illegal encroachments without any cutoff date,” Abdullah said. “If this passes, anyone could occupy state land and claim ownership. We cannot allow that.”
Rejecting Para’s claim that the bill aligned with Sheikh Abdullah’s reforms, the chief minister stated, “Land to the Tiller gave rights to those who worked the land, not to land grabbers. There’s a big difference between empowering farmers and rewarding encroachers.”
Abdullah emphasized that his government remains committed to providing housing for the landless through legitimate schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), where land is allotted legally.
“We will ensure homes for those without shelter. But giving land to those who have grabbed it illegally is unacceptable,” he said.
Reacting to Para’s remarks about the BJP’s influence and alleged fear factor, Abdullah retorted, “If we worked out of fear of the BJP, we would have brought them to the Treasury benches. It’s the PDP that is dragging religion and region into this debate, not us.”
Responding to Para’s insinuation that the bill would benefit his relatives, Abdullah clarified, “My relatives had leasehold land, not illegal encroachments. I wouldn’t bring such a bill even for them.”
When Para refused to withdraw the proposal, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather put it to vote. The bill garnered support from only two members and was subsequently defeated by a voice vote.
