Your land won’t be taken away, Reddy assures Kashmiris

LAL CHOWK VISIT Naqvi interacts with shopkeepers

SRINAGAR: Minister of state for home, G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday, assured people in Kashmir that their land would not be taken away and the land belonging to the government will be utilised for construction of industries, hospitals and colleges.

As part of its public outreach programme, MOS home was in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district where he met delegations comprising panches, sarpanches and BJP workers and leaders from central Kashmir. Addressing the gathering, Reddy assured people their land would not be taken away.

“We pledge to bring development in Kashmir. People should not worry as the government has much land which is not used and where irrigation is not possible.”

The Union minister said they would set up industries, hospitals and colleges on government land, and promised the people of Ganderbal that the government will setup a medical college and engineering college in the area.

Since the abrogration of Article 370, Kashmiris are scared as there are no more guarantees left with them after removal of the special status. Of late many BJP leaders have been pursuing the idea of a law that will ensure jobs and land rights for locals in the newly carved out UT.

A group of Kashmiri former ministers and legislators led by former minister Altaf Bukhari had met Lt governor GC Marmu urging the government to safeguard land rights and jobs for locals after revocation of special status.

Amid tight security, minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi visited Lal Chowk, the business nerve centre of the city on Wednesday. Naqvi was the first Union minister to visit the city centre post revocation of

Article 370. Accompanied by the lieutenant governor’s advisor Farooq Khan and senior BJP leaders, Naqvi interacted with shopkeepers and street vendors. Police officers diverted transport to an adjacent route and security personnel were deployed in lanes and bylanes close to the market. Naqvi’s cavalcade arrived at the flea market at Lal Chowk around 11am. “I had come to listen the people and spent some time with them. People should focus on positive developments,’’ Naqvi told media persons.bjp spokesperson Altaf Thakur who was also accompanying the minister said Naqvi stayed at Lal Chowk for 10 minutes. “He (Naqvi) met street vendors and shopkeepers who apprised him of their problems. It proved to be a good visit.’’ However, many people in the market remained ignorant of the Union minister’s visit. “He entered from one side and left from the other. he remained there for a few seconds. They (the delegation) are from the Indian government and many vendors were indifferent to them,” said a hawker.

MOS HOME WAS IN CENTRAL KASHMIR’S GANDERBAL DISTRICT