The former chief minister of Jammu Kashmir and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday lashed out at the J-K administration’s proposed plan to create a database of all families of the region.
The former CM said the plan to create unique IDs for all families is another “surveillance tactic to tighten the iron grip” on the lives of Kashmir residents.
She alleged that Kashmiris are viewed with deep suspicion and the proposed plan is “emblematic of the widening trust deficit”, especially after 2019, the year Article 370 providing special status to Jammu Kashmir was abrogated.
“Creating a ‘unique family ID’ for J-K residents is emblematic of the widening trust deficit esp post-2019. Kashmiris are viewed with deep suspicion & this is another surveillance tactic to tighten the iron grip on their lives,” the former chief minister said in a tweet.
The plan was unveiled at a recent national conference on e-governance in Katra in Reasi district where LG Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar released the Digital J&K Vision Document.
The administration said the objective behind the plan was the easy selection of eligible beneficiaries of various social welfare schemes.