Though the National Conference has a checkered history witnessing several ups and downs, the intentions of its leadership were always pro-people. One of the best examples of this party’s endeavors for social justice was the action taken by its founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1950, who, being the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir at that time, enacted a law ‘Land to Tiller Law 1950’. This law restricted the ownership of landlords to 22.75 acres and any extra land was taken over by the state and distributed to tillers. The most interesting part was that the tiller had to pay no compensation for the land received which was approximately 1.23 acres per tiller. Although the law faced criticism from many but by and large, it changed the course of life of many poor tillers in the erstwhile State and became a landmark reform in the history of agrarian justice.
The impact of this bold decision was not merely economic but also social, as it empowered the most marginalized sections and gave them dignity and a sense of ownership. It laid the foundation of trust between the leadership and the masses, which continues to be remembered even today. Such historic interventions reflect how decisive governance, backed by intent, can alter the destiny of generations and create a more equitable society.
Now after about 75 years, the same NC party has a chance to change the lives of people, especially the thousands of daily wagers and educated jobless youths of the region. The people, after facing disappointment from successive governments of various other parties in the UT in the last several years, have finally reposed faith in NC leadership and given a mandate to run the affairs of the UT. Therefore, it becomes necessary that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should go for revolutionary steps in satiating the aspirations of the people.
It is good that the CM has assured the Legislative Assembly that daily wagers will be regularized in a phased manner during the current fiscal and stated that 25,000 vacancies out of available 28,000 are targeted to be filled this year in a transparent manner. These promises made on the floor of J&K UT’s Assembly hold much significance because if fulfilled well in time, these have the potential to bring delight to the lives of over one lakh people of the region and restore confidence in governance.
Therefore, one can say that these are the real big statements, and what is required is that the government in J&K should put in all-out efforts to make this a reality and prove that NC is a party with a difference, as other parties which remained in power earlier failed to transform such assurances into reality. The path for the NC government will definitely have many hurdles because the issues at hand are complex and full of intricacies, but with good intentions, firm resolve, and timely execution, things can be done and new benchmarks can be set for others to follow.
