Thread on Kashmir Domicile rules and why we should not be too quick to condemn Modiji.

Before 370, abrogation ONLY PERMANENT RESIDENTS of J&K were eligible for government jobs.

What is a permanent resident?
The J&K Constitution, adopted on Nov 17, 1956, defined a Permanent Resident (PR) as one who was a state subject on May 14, 1954, or who has been a resident of the state for 10 years, and has “lawfully acquired immovable property in the state”. (Wiki)

This is a perfect example of circular reasoning. There is no way to lawfully acquire immovable property in J&K unless you are a PR to begin with!
For all practical purposes this means only those who were J&K subjects before 1954 can ever get jobs or buy land here.

When the government brought the domicile rules for jobs on 31st March, it actually OPENED UP the government job pool to all Indian citizens! Only class IV jobs were kept reserved for locals. You certainly can't dispute that, every state govt has to make concessions for locals.

Here too, they changed eligibility criteria from PR to Domicile which allows people living here since 15 years to apply. Imagine the relief to Valmikis who have been forced to remain manual scavengers since 1957! For an underprivileged Valmiki, a peon post is salvation!

Those accusing the BJP of "folding under pressure, and giving way back to Islamists," are you aware that the maximum opposition to the domicile rule came from Kashmiri muslims themselves! They see it as a weakening of their till now unchallenged stranglehold!

The domicile rule basically means many people who came to Kashmir after 1954: such as army and central government officials: are now eligible for state government positions, as are their children! This threatens the Islamists. It absolutely does not mean bringing back 370!

In fact, the complete opening of all posts above class IV was such a shock, that even J&K BJP leaders started advising against such drastic opening up, fearing adverse results in upcoming elections.

This is why the government has rolled back their initial ambitious reform, and brought all jobs under the Domicile criterion. Mind you, the islamists are still unhappy. They abuse the domicile rule as a backdoor that will eventually topple their precious Muslim-only demography.

I've seen tweets from Modi supporters, lamenting the spinelessness of the BJP in first reserving class IV and now all jobs for the domiciled. My poor deluded friends, educate yourself! Domicile is any day, a hundred times better than the Permanent Resident cut off!!

If you want Modiji to jump the gun and just declare all state govt jobs in J&K open to all Indians, please bring your head down from the clouds and back to a more practical earth. Look at any other Indian state's eligibility criteria. Nobody dares anger the locals anywhere.

Give Modiji the most important thing of all. Give him your patience and your trust. You waited 70 years for the Italian Mafia to grow a conscience. They disappointed you. Don't rush the cocoon. Butterflies need time to unfurl their wings.