Many stakeholders who are set to face the axe, across Kashmir, to say the least, are trying everything possible to get the Government to have what they called a “sympathetic” view because they have been caught in a tight spot, where they want the administration to listen to their so-called “grievances”, sit and try to find out a solution so that their businesses—which run on the properties that were granted without following the due process, with the help of money and influence—do not suffer.
It is a fact that earlier, the lease was granted to people who had money, were influential and carried along a doubtful character, with the result, only those who had the upper hand were showered the favours by the successive Governments. We say with authority that not a single case of the land lease has been granted on merit, or following any other process noted and authenticated by the rules and regulations. Even if the politicians today allege that Government coming out with new land grant rules is aimed at “othering” the people of Kashmir and is a beginning of a dark chapter in J&K, can they say under oath that corrupt practices were not employed by the successive regimes to favour the favourites concerning granting land lease in J&K?
They cannot do that because they know what have been the driving factors behind such grants and approvals. Those who are set to lose the lease grant as per the rules and regulations, why can’t they pacify themselves that they could get the same back if their cases have merit? They cannot even do that, because they somehow know that their cases lack merit and that they won’t be able to secure the same through a process where only the rules dominate.
In nutshell, it is the Karma hitting these people back, because their elders secured the lease grants through illegal practices, and did not provide the less privileged, less influenced a level playing field, and now, it has trickled down to their children paying back for those gory sins committed. There is a hope that the new land grant rules will ensure not only a level playing field by promoting openness in the processes, but will also ensure that the parasites which were feeding on the precious land resources of Kashmir by resorting to illegalities are identified and side-lined.
