Ranbir Singh Pathania, BJP spokesperson and MLA from Udhampur East, has strongly criticised the National Conference (NC) for what he described as “discriminatory and vindictive” land reforms in Jammu Kashmir.
Addressing a gathering of the Nayak/Jatav/Khatik/Bagri Samaj in Ballimaran, Delhi, Pathania accused NC founder Sheikh Abdullah of using land reforms to advance political interests rather than ensuring equitable land distribution.
“The land reforms initiated by Sheikh Abdullah were selective and deeply biased,” Pathania said. “They failed to address the welfare of the landless and instead targeted the Dogra community in Jammu under the guise of social justice.”
Referring to the Big Landed Estates Abolition Act and the Agrarian Reforms Act, Pathania alleged that these policies disproportionately affected landowners in Jammu, particularly the Dogra community, while orchard owners in Kashmir were exempt from land ceiling laws.
“This violated the principles of equality and justice,” he asserted.
Highlighting the lack of compensation for dispossessed landowners during the reforms, the MLA said, “Unlike other parts of India, where land reforms aimed to foster social equity and provided fair compensation, in Jammu and Kashmir, the rights of landowners were blatantly ignored.
At that time, the ‘Right to Property’ was a fundamental right under both the Indian and Jammu & Kashmir constitutions, making this injustice even more glaring.”
Pathania also criticised the broader governance of the National Conference over the decades. “For 70 years, their administration left ordinary Kashmiris impoverished while benefiting a select few. Marginalised groups, including women, refugees, and Valmikis, were denied basic rights like voting and property ownership,” he said.
Praising the changes brought by the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, Pathania said that the region has since witnessed significant improvements.
“Under the leadership of the Government of India, Jammu and Kashmir is now on the path to inclusive growth and prosperity. Security, governance, and development have improved dramatically,” he said.
Comparing land reforms in Jammu and Kashmir with other states, Pathania highlighted successful efforts in states like Maharashtra and West Bengal, where he claimed reforms uplifted the landless while ensuring compensation for landowners.
“In J&K, however, the reforms were designed to weaken the Dogra landholding class, driven by Sheikh Abdullah’s personal vendettas rather than a genuine commitment to social equity,” he remarked.
The BJP leader concluded by reiterating his criticism of the NC’s legacy. “The National Conference’s policies were not about empowering the people but about consolidating their own power,” Pathania said.