Wahid Para Defends Land Regularisation Bill, Calls It “Reform for the Poor” ; BJP called it “land jihad,” and National Conference called them “land grabbers.”

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SRINAGAR OCT, 28:-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Waheed Para has strongly defended the Jammu and Kashmir (Regularization and Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Public Land) Bill, 2025, stating that the proposed legislation is aimed at protecting long-settled families rather than benefiting outsiders.

In a social media post, Para criticized the political narrative surrounding the Bill, noting that while the BJP has previously termed such initiatives as “land jihad” and the National Conference (NC) has branded them as “land grabbing,” the ground reality is very different.

He said thousands of families across Jammu and Kashmir have built homes on State, Kacharia, Common, and Shamilat lands due to decades of administrative neglect, urban expansion, and displacement. “This is not a Bill of politics; it is a Bill of compassion and justice,” Para wrote.

Highlighting the challenges faced by residents without legal ownership, Para said these households have long been deprived of access to bank loans, housing assistance, and property security. According to him, the Bill seeks to provide ownership rights to genuine occupants living on such lands for more than 20 years, with strict safeguards and penalties to prevent fresh encroachments.

He also rejected allegations that the legislation would facilitate settlement of non-locals in the region. “This Bill is for locals, for the poor, and for the underprivileged — a step toward dignity, stability, and justice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the PDP legislator asserted.

The Bill has triggered debate across political lines as concerns continue to rise over land ownership and eviction drives following the abrogation of Article 370.