Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, June 19

Minister Sakeena Itoo on Friday said the government would safeguard the interests of farmers who have cultivated agricultural land for decades, amid growing concerns over land identification and retrieval exercises in parts of the union territory.

Addressing a public grievance redressal programme in Pulwama district, Itoo said cultivators whose livelihoods depend on agricultural land would not be deprived of their legitimate rights.

“We stand with the farmers whose land is being identified for retrieval,” Itoo told reporters on the sidelines of the event.

“Those who have been cultivating these fields for several decades and sustaining their families through them will not be deprived of their rights.”

The remarks come amid heightened political debate over land ownership and possession rights in Jammu and Kashmir, where opposition parties have accused the administration of creating uncertainty among farming communities.

Itoo said individuals who have remained in possession of agricultural land for nearly five decades could not simply be dispossessed.

“Those who have been cultivating and depending on the land for the past 50 years cannot have their land taken away. Our government stands firmly with them and will ensure their rights are protected,” she said.

During the public outreach programme, residents raised concerns related to infrastructure, development works, public services and welfare schemes.

The minister directed officials to address pending grievances and accelerate implementation of development projects in the district.

Itoo also accused opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of attempting to politicise issues related to land rights and governance.

“The opposition is playing politics on every issue,” she said.

“They are waiting for the elected government to fail instead of engaging in constructive politics.”

Referring to recent political activities by opposition leaders, Itoo said symbolic gestures would not resolve the concerns of farmers.

The minister said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led administration remained focused on governance, public welfare and delivery of services.

She also addressed concerns regarding delayed salaries of employees working under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, saying the matter had been taken up with the relevant authorities and was receiving attention at the appropriate level.

Separately, Itoo criticised the PDP over its stance on security legislation, arguing that the party was attempting to gain political mileage through issues it had failed to address while in office.

She said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) had been introduced in Jammu and Kashmir when late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed served as India’s home minister.

“If AFSPA continues in Jammu and Kashmir today, one must ask who enacted it in the first place,” she said.

Itoo also questioned why the PDP did not pursue certain legislative initiatives during its alliance government with the Bharatiya Janata Party between 2015 and 2018.

The PDP has not immediately responded to the minister’s remarks.