No matter who was in power in J&K in the several decades, they ensured that their favourites and those who were able to grease their palms heavily got the benefits and the same was done concerning the leasing of lands. Those with resources, money, and power have got their favourite pieces of Government lands—that too on peanuts—and ended up building and strengthening their empires further. The poor, on the other hand, remained where they were and in the majority of cases, they had to face the worst because what belonged to them as well provided them with no stairs to rise and get themselves established.
The Land Grant Rules -2022, which the government has come up with, may eliminate elements of corruption and nepotism that have long existed in J&K and give both the wealthy and the poor an equal opportunity to compete. The new regulations must ensure that the government land given to the powerful people on peanuts is reclaimed and used for the benefit of society as a whole. The prevailing laws were in fact regressive, and the succeeding governments occasionally tweaked them—not to make them more efficient, but to please their favourites and aid them in their greedy pursuit of accumulating more wealth.
Political parties have opposed the Land Grant Rules -2022 vehemently and will continue to do so; the move will be further associated with the alleged “ill-designs” of the Government of India. However, this opposition needs to be seen through the lens of how the bull is now entering the homes of those who were once the watchdogs and protectors of political corruption, and nepotism, as well as those who ate what belonged to the people. The bull is now in the open, and those who have done wrong are afraid because the bull is heading in their direction to destroy their long-standing system of mutual corruption. The bull could also be successful in ensuring an equal distribution of opportunity for the rich and the poor. The time has arrived to reclaim what belongs to the people of J&K.
