What About The Demands Of Mahajan/Khatris Over Sale/Purchase Of Agriculture Land In Jammu and Kashmir UT

What About The Demands Of Mahajan/Khatris Over Sale/Purchase Of Agriculture Land In Jammu and Kashmir UT

01 February, 2021, By Ajay K. Bhagat

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Jammu and Kashmir:Jammu Central Mahajan Sabha (JCMS) in the month of December, last year  had termed the ‘New Land Laws’ notified  by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir as ‘Anti-Mahajan’ and against the spirit of equality before law.

Sabha said “In our country, any people, anywhere in India can purchase land but it is extremely sad that Mahajans of J&K union territory cannot purchase even one Marla of Agricultural land i.e. 1st, 2nd or 3rd rate land in this union territory whereas there is no such restriction on people belonging to other communities.” 

"Sabha also said  Mahajan community of J&K which is comprised of more than 10 lakh souls always played pivotal role in various fields and by their intelligence, honesty and hard work brought all round development in this union territory but it is a matter of criminal discrimination that they have been kept away from the field of agriculture."

 

United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Jammu and Kashmir, also criticized the government for alleged conspiracy against the Mahajan and Khatri communities who are debarred from buying or selling Agriculture land in the J&K Union Territory.

Earlier , Rajiv Mahajan, Convener of UDA  termed this decisiosn under new Land Laws  as a conspiracy and appealed to the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha to look into the matter seriously and revoke this order at the earliest,.

People from the Mahajan, Khatri community while speaking to Cross Town News said that there were times when Mahajan Community was mainly Traders and now time has changed  and they should be allowed to buy and sell Agriculture land.

They said  new Section has barred “transfer of agricultural land to non-agriculturalists” and omitted the earlier relaxation of four kanals available in the repealed J&K Alienation of Land Act. 

The  Section 133H says “For the purpose of this section, the expression- (a) agriculturist means a person:- (i) who cultivates land personally in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir as on such date as may be notified by the Government; or (ii) such category of persons as may be notified by the Government from time to time. This list of “category of persons” (agriculturalists) needs to be notified “from time to time”, which means that other communities acn be notified in this icluding Mahajan Khatris.

Also  proviso of Section 133H, says, “Provided that the Government or an officer authorized by it in this behalf may grant permission to an agriculturist to alienate the land to a non-agriculturist by way of sale, gift, exchange or mortgage or for such agreement on such conditions as may be prescribed” and  allows “lease of land or any other arrangement for entering into a farming or production agreement under the provisions of any law”.

They said the Administration must take decision while considering the present scenarion and added that Divisional Commisioner Jammu and Divisional Commisioner Kashmir, who are taking up objections to various issues must take our pleas also in to account for the over all development of the Union territory.

@jammukashmir