1. Home
2. Editorial

Ill-timed and disappointing

Kashmir Times. Dated: 4/3/2020 12:12:17 AM

Domicile order will generate disappointment, resentment that is being masked by the lockdown

The Jammu and Kashmir Domicile order, notified on Tuesday, is a hollow piece of document that provides no solace to the people of the region and fails to address their genuine concerns regarding land rights, jobs and education. The most glaring aspect of this order is its extremely odd timing, that only serves the interest of the Centre as it masks the outrage and seething discontent of the public amidst a stringent lockdown in view of the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic. During the eight months after the government arbitrarily and recklessly decided to change the political and geographical fate of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and quelled all possibilities of a backlash with lockdown on the streets as well as all communication systems, the people of the state, particularly in Jammu region, have been seeking concessions and domicile rights with guarantees of protection. However, there was no official word to assuage the concerns of the people. So, there was no particular emergency to have hastily brought in an order that completely seals their fate at a time when the entire energy and focus should have been pivoted around the combat against Covid-19, enhancing the health infrastructure, screening, testing, confirmation and isolation of the those infected as well as providing immediate relief, food and medical care, wherever required, to the people with lesser and limited means. The timing thus makes the exercise appear more unjustified and vile than it already is. Unless guided by callousness, contentious decisions like the domicile order reveal the possibility of deliberate and calculated method to mute the opposition to them amidst the lockdown and the partial internet blockade.
The timing apart, the domicile order, far from addressing the wounds of the public since August 5, 2019 is an enabler of provocation. It in no way protects the privileges and exclusive rights of the permanent residents of the erstwhile state, either absolutely or partially. Instead, the provisions for acquiring the domicile status are so relaxed that they make it extremely easy for lakhs of people to immediately qualify. Under the law, the domiciles have been defined as those who have resided for a period of 15 years in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir or have studied for a period of seven years and appeared in Class 10 and 12 examination in educational institutions located in what is now a Union Territory. These include children of all central government officials including armed personnel. The most contentious provision of the domicile order is that while a rider of 15, 10 and 7 years has been fixed for obtaining a domicile right is the decision with regard to jobs. According to the law, those having the domicile status will have exclusive rights to apply for jobs up to Class IV level. This means that while those acquiring domicile status under the new rules will be competing with erstwhile permanent residents of J&K for the Class IV posts, the jobs for the posts at higher level including gazetted services will be fully open for all citizens of the country, leading to obvious marginalization of the locals. Many of the reservations that the people in J&K have been enjoying including in professional colleges have also been done away with and the domicile order has failed to fill in the gap. The order is not only hollow and disappointing, its timing reflects deception and deviousness.