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Not supporting illegal land grabbers, but bulldozer shouldn’t be first option: Omar Abdullah on J&K eviction drive
National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said the government wants to remove land to tiller act and claimed the bulldozers are brought to houses without following any legal procedures. Abdullah, during a press conference in Srinagar, sought clarification from the government about the list circulating on the social media.
After a list of encroachments in Srinagar city surfaced on social media, Jammu and Kashmir political parties have sought explanation from the government for creating panic in the UT.
National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said the government wants to remove land to tiller act and claimed the bulldozers are brought to houses without following any legal procedures.
Abdullah, during a press conference in Srinagar, sought clarification from the government about the list circulating on the social media. “If the list in public domain is fake, on what basis are bulldozers being sent to different places.”
“Where ever they (officials) go they don’t fullfil any paper work. When they went to my relatives’ house (Nedous), they were not informed and the bulldozer was forcibly taken inside the premises. The officer present on the spot refused to see any documents, saying there is pressure from higher ups. This is happening at many places even people with all the records are facing bulldozers.”
Abdullah asked why nobody was served notices before demolition.
He asked the government to stop harassing people of J&K. “We are not supporting illegal land grabbers. But there should be a procedure for that. Bulldozer shouldn’t be the first option, it should be the last resort.”
“People whose name is on the original list should be given four to six weeks to show their papers about the claim on the land. And those having proper papers should be deleted from the list and those who don’t have papers should be given fresh notices or their land should be regularised.”
Another former J&K chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti said the use of bulldozers have made Kashmir worse than Afghanistan. “We are not against the government’s move to retrieve the land from land grabbers, but people shouldn’t be deprived of their livelihoods. By demolition of shelters, the government is trying to take away people’s shelter and make Kashmir worse than Afghanistan,” Mufti said in a press conference in New Delhi.
Peoples Conference chairperson Sajjad Lone, who addressed a press conference in Srinagar, blamed the “cabal of tourist officers” for this drive and asked why only Muslims are “encroachers”. “They (officials) are not even serving notices. In villages they come with bulldozers and demolish the houses.”
Lone also raised questions on the government’s objective through this drive.
“Do they want to retrieve land or humiliate people of Kashmir. I feel humiliation is more important for them. J&K is part of India. Has land been retrieved from all parts of country? Lt Governor Manoj Sinha is from UP. Has every portion of land been retrieved from UP.”
Srinagar deputy commissioner said the list being circulated on social media is fake. “A fake list of encroachment over Nazool properties in Srinagar is being circulated on social media by some fear-mongering elements. FIR being lodged to initiate action against miscreants attempting to spread panic among people,” tweeted the Srinagar DC.
