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J&K govt’s eviction drive a weapon to uproot people: Mehbooba
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and claimed that the eviction drive was a way to “extract money from the rich and push poor towards the BJP for votes”
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday lashed out at the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s anti-encroachment drive, calling it a “weapon like UAPA and PSA to uproot people in the union territory”.
She also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and claimed that the eviction drive was a way to “extract money from the rich and push poor towards the BJP for votes”.
“Anti-encroachment drive is another weapon being used by the BJP government, such as UAPA, NIA, PSA or ED, to uproot people of Jammu and Kashmir and harass them. China has occupied our 20,000 sqkm land. Why not get that grazing land back first?” she asked during a press interaction in Srinagar.
“They want to usurp money from the rich and get votes from the poor. The poor are being compelled to visit the BJP office and then their support is sought. The rich are separately told to meet certain officials. This is a big way of corruption here,” she alleged.
J&K government has launched a major eviction drive to clear state land of the encroachments. The drive has caused major resentment among common people and politicians, who say it will affect poor people possessing small landholdings for living or survival for decades. J&K LG Manoj Sinha had assured that no poor person will be targeted, but only “influential who used their approach to encroach state land”.
On Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir administration had retrieved state land from the alleged occupation of three prominent political and two business families, including owners of a prominent hotel in Srinagar. Last week, an outhouse and a boundary wall of the residence of National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Sagar was removed in Srinagar.
On budget, Mehbooba said it was not people-friendly, but crony capitalist friendly.
“The budget is similar to the last 7-8 years. Taxes have increased. The money should have been spent on welfare schemes or subsidies, but that is not happening. The tax is being collected for their crony capitalists or big businessmen. Instead of giving benefit to people, the welfare schemes and subsidies are being revoked,” she added.
The PDP chief said even after eight budgets,the situation was such that those who had climbed above the poverty line have again gone down. “Free ration has also been curtailed. There was a promise of two crore jobs, but instead people are being laid off. This budget is not people-friendly. Money will come out of people’s pockets and go into the kitty of their businessmen friends,” she added.
“A gas cylinder costs over ₹1,200,” she rued.
Protest held in Jammu against eviction notices
Hundreds of men, women and children on Wednesday took out a protest rally in Bhatindi area of Jammu against the eviction notices served to them.
Their peaceful protest march culminated at Eidgah Ground in Malik Market, where they demanded that the government to come out with an order in ‘black and white’, announcing that neither the common persons will be evicted nor their residential houses dismantled.
Markets in Bhatindi, Malik Market and Sunjuwan remained shut for the second consecutive day. The protesters also included school-going children, who had skipped their classes to take part in the march.
On Tuesday, BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Ghulam Ali Khatana had visited Bhatindi and had assured that none of the residential houses will be razed.
A revenue official, however, said the department has served six eviction notices in Sunjwan and Malik Market area.
It may be stated here that Bhatindi was once a forest land of Jammu, but the successive regimes over the years encouraged the people to build their houses and settle down.
Abdul Rasheed, a resident of Bhatindi, said, “The government in the past have regularised many illegal colonies in Jammu. Why can’t it do so in Sunjuwan, Bhatindi, Malik Market and Channi Rama.”
The Opposition has already slammed the LG’s administration for its move.
Peoples Conference chairperson Sajjad Lone also took to Twitter and urged the government to “spare the poor”.
