by Jag Mohan Thaken
The Indian Constitution has given freedom to its citizens to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India as a fundamental right under Article 19 (1) (e). Even in the previously restricted areas of Jammu and Kashmir, after abrogation of Article 370 in October 2020, the Union Home Ministry (UHM) had issued a notification stating that any Indian citizen can buy land, except agricultural, in municipal areas of Jammu and Kashmir without being a domicile. As per the notification issued by the UHM, no domicile or permanent resident certificate is required for purchasing non-agricultural land in Jammu and Kashmir.
Whereas, the BJP led central government is taking pride to claim that it has showered a freedom bonanza to the citizens of India, inhabitants of any state of the country, empowering them to purchase a plot and reside in the Jammu and Kashmir regions, but the same BJP led state government in Rajasthan is restricting the other Indian states residents to purchase even a small size plot to reside and settle there. Is it not curtailing the fundamental right of the citizens, residents of other than Rajasthan state, and banning them to reside and settle anywhere in the country?
The Ban Prompts Illegal Colonizers
The restriction imposed by the Rajasthan government compels the residents of other states, who want to own a plot in Rajasthan, either to pay much higher rates to get a plot in government approved bigger townships, which are generally developed for rich people, or due to the luring cheap rates, they fall prey to the illegal colonizers and lose all their capital.
Rajasthan’s Hindi Newspaper, Rajasthan Patrika on its website Patika.com has reported on February 8, 2025 that Jaipur Development Authority’s enforcement branch razed four illegal colonies being raised on 40 Bighas including the land near Dravyavati river on Ajmer Road, where the sewage treatment plants are proposed by the state government.
Apart from this, Shiv Residency was being built on two bighas of agricultural land in village Narottampura of zone 11, Balaji Enclave in three bighas and another illegal colony named Vrindavan Vihar was being built in 35 bighas in village Panwalia. During the action, all reportedly illegal constructions were claimed to be demolished here. Information available reveals that in the year 2024 alone 383 illegal colonies were razed by the JDA.
