PDP stages strong protest against new land law

Jammu, Oct 28: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Wednesday staged strong protests here, seeking immediate repeal of the new land laws which have paved the way for people from outside Jammu and Kashmir to buy land in the erstwhile state.

A large number of PDP workers from Jammu and its surroundings assembled at the party headquarters here this morning to express their resentment over the way the union government was imposing one after the other unilateral and draconian laws post abrogation of special status.

The protesters marched through Gandhi Nagar towards Divisional Commissioner office Jammu in order to register their protest against various laws including the new land provision implemented by the union government. However, the protesters were stopped by the police and were not allowed to proceed further.

Holding party flags the protesters raised slogans against the new land law and union government asserting that the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party has now put entire Jammu and Kashmir on sale to the non-locals.

“It’s a clear attack on our distinct cultural and linguistic identity. After demolishing democracy and democratic institutions, onslaught on the employment avenues of local youth and vending our resources the Bhartiya Janta Party now intends to snatch our very identity from us”, former legislator and General Secretary PDP Surinder Choudhary said.

“Our protest is against the anti-people policies of the BJP, especially the new land law. This land belongs to our future generations and the BJP is cheating the people of Jammu and misleading them,” Choudhary said.

Accusing the BJP of pursuing anti-people policies, he said, “This will not be tolerated… we will fight for our rights.” He said that every section of society was today suffering due to the anti people policies of union government, which is now directly ruling Jammu and Kashmir. “Be it employees, youth, farmers or traders, everybody is today on streets. The ruling party stands exposed before the people and it was now trying to divert their attention by racking up emotional issues”, he said.