Jammu, Apr 4 (IANS): Castigating the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday said that the domicile legislation, even in its amended form, portrays the real intention behind the scrapping of the special status of the erstwhile state.
"The way in which the union government proclaimed a new job and domicile policy for the erstwhile state now clearly indicates people at the helm of affairs in New Delhi are dealing with Jammu and Kashmir very casually and without application of mind", PDP spokesperson and former legislator Firdous Tak said in a statement here.
He said this opinion gets further strengthened with the fact that a law which is to govern the 12 million population of Jammu and Kashmir was so offhandedly drafted that the union government had to change it within 72 hours. "This is the way the most sensitive region of the country is being handled only to further complicate the already chaotic situation of anarchy."
Tak said that the domicile law, even in its amended form, was dangerous and only portrays the real intention of people in the corridors of power.
"The basics of domicile law now remain unchanged whereby people from outside the union territory, who have been residing here for 15 years, the employees of central government and PSUs and others will get an equal opportunity to compete for the limited jobs in the government sector," he said adding that the union government has intentionally kept the provision of domicile as a prerequisite for the youth intending to be in government jobs.
Tak said that the law will only operate to the disadvantage of the local educated and uneducated youth of Jammu and Kashmir. "The turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir is one of the major disadvantages for the local youth, besides almost negligible options in the private sector".
The PDP spokesperson expressed surprise over the way a disadvantageous piece of legislation was being projected as some sort of gift to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
"It's just another round of deceit and betrayal for people of this trouble-torn region after filching their identity and prestige on August 5. They are being robbed in the mid of the night with the stroke of a pen, without their consultation or opinion", he said.