Srinagar April 22 (KNS):Senior PDP leader Engineer Nazir Ahmad Yatoo while criticizing Government for enactment of new Domicile law for J&K has said that Jammu & Kashmir has been thrown back to pre 1927 era when outsiders had a right to get jobs and purchase land in J&K.
He said that people of Jammu & Kashmir be it Dogras , Muslims , Buddhists or any other ethnic groups like Gujjars , Bakerwals , Shina's , Pahadi's etc have a distinct culture and identity which needs to be preserved and protected like it is done in North Eastern states where many areas are brought under 6th schedule of constitution.
A statement issued to KNS, Engineer Yatoo in his statement said that Maharaja Hari Singh the ruler of Kashmir in his great wisdom had passed a royal degree of State Subject Law to ensure protecting rights of his citizens in the year 1927. Kashmiri Panditas and Dogra elites of Jammu were on the forefront for this demand that time
Earlier in 1922 a State Council of Ministers was formed by Maharaja Pratap Singh who ruled Kashmir from 1885 to 1925. The direction had said that in future no non-State subject shall be appointed to any position without the orders of “His Highness” . Each proposal shall be accompanied by a full statement of reasons in writing as to why it is considered necessary to appoint a non-State subject, it being definitely stated whether there is no State subject qualified and available for the appointment proposed. In like manner no scholarships or training expenses of any kind should be granted to non-State subjects. Maharaja Pratap Singh had also directed that any infringement of this order will be very seriously dealt with. Maharaja Sahib has been pleased to inform you that in future all grants of land for agricultural and house-building purpose and grant of houses and other State property shall be made to State subjects only.
A committee was set up during this time to determine state subjects. In the year 1925 the committee submitted its report and the same year Yuvraj Hari Singh became the Maharaja of Kashmir aftermath of death of his uncle Maharaja Pratap Singh. Maharaja accepted the recommendations of the committee and thus a definition of “Hereditary State Subject” was formulated. This was converted into a law on 31st January 1927 for which formal notification was issued on 20 April 1927.
"Government of India has not only hurt sentiments of Kashmiri muslims but even the Dogras are hurt by the decision wherein 93 years old Royal Decree has been abolished. The new domicile law will affect not only the ethenic character of Kashmiris but the Dogras, Ladakhi Buddhists, Gurezi Shina's , Kargili Balti's and Purgi's and Gujjars , Pahadis would also get affacted. These groups will loose their identity after some decades " Yatoo added in a statement issued to KNS (KNS)