SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday strongly opposed a private member’s bill moved by PDP MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para seeking recognition of proprietary rights over state and Kacharai lands, asserting that the government cannot “legalise illegal occupation of state property.”
Speaking in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Omar Abdullah urged Para to withdraw the bill, saying it went against established land laws and regulations.
“We cannot legalise illegal occupation of state land,” the Chief Minister said, reiterating that the government would not support any move that undermines the rule of law.
However, Waheed ur Rehman Para declined to withdraw the bill, accusing the government of rejecting it for political reasons.
“You are rejecting it for your own policies. BJP calls it ‘land jihad’ — don’t be afraid of them,” Para said, addressing the Treasury benches.
The exchange triggered a brief verbal duel between the ruling and opposition members. While Para argued that his bill sought to provide relief to people residing or cultivating on such lands for decades, the government maintained that legal procedures cannot be bypassed in matters of land ownership.
Omar Abdullah reiterated that the issue of land rights must be resolved through lawful and transparent means, emphasizing that the administration would not take any step that could “encourage encroachment or set a wrong precedent.”
