National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah has raised serious concerns regarding a controversial census by police in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, questioning the authority under which it is being carried out and the purpose behind gathering such extensive information from residents of the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Indian police have launched a comprehensive “census” to collect personal data, including details of foreign visits, from residents of IIOJK. The forms, distributed by various police stations, bear the heading “Census 2024”, ask for detailed information about the head of the family, family members living outside the territory, their ages, contact details, vehicle registrations, information about CCTV cameras installed and enquiries about family members. Residents must also provide photographs and the longitude and latitude coordinates (geo-tagging) of their residences.
Omar Abdullah while addressing a delegate session in Jammu questioned the census of households and said, “There is no let-up in the problems being suffered by the people as households are being sent absurd and humiliating documents.”
He asked what legitimate objectives could justify such a comprehensive data collection regarding inhabitants and its potential use.
The NC leader further asked the functionaries to prepare for the elections as and when they are held, saying the BJP regime cannot continue to shy away from the assembly elections. He said the BJP was dressing up its failures as success, saying the prevailing ground situation in terms of deteriorating security situation, unemployment, development deficit and administrative inertia run contrary to their claims.—KMS
