Eviction of State Land in Jammu and Kashmir, Will it be an example of Naya Kashmir?

GNSONLINE JAMMU 

SHAFQAT SHEIKH

The Jammu and Kashmir earlier known as the crown of India is now moving toward the slogan of so-called Naya Kashmir which was claimed on 05 Aug 2019, when the Minister of Home Affairs Shri Amit Shah acknowledged both houses of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha regarding the Abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A, ( A special status accorded to Jammu and Kashmir before signing the accession). The bill was brought a few hours before the houses and parliamentarians were asked to discuss the bill.

On the same day’s intervening night of 05 Aug 2019, communication was completely blocked and whole internet services were snapped following the deployment of paramilitary troops across Jammu and Kashmir. The Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad tries his best in defending the identity and special status of Jammu and Kashmir followed by the protest of parliamentarians of the Peoples Democratic Party and objections by parliamentarians of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference.

The Ministry of Home Affairs in a day-long discussion over the passing of the bill informed both houses about the hindrances in creating developmental aspects of Jammu and Kashmir before the passing of the bill. There was a bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir State among two Union territories by spreading Ladakh Union Territory without Assembly and Jammu and Kashmir with Assembly with the highest and most prestigious post of Lieutenant governor.

Since day one of the abrogations, the Ministry of Home Affairs tries its best to bring normalcy to Jammu and Kashmir as it had become a conflicted region due to some terror outfits and organizations operating in Jammu and Kashmir. The anti-terror steps taken by the Government were welcomed by every section of society and even the common and poor masses hailing from rural areas breathed smoothly due to the almost complete downfall in terror activities.

The gap between the stakeholders of Jammu and Kashmir and the Center Government has increased day by day since the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, wherein the Center Government under the Prime Ministership of Shri Narendra Modi is trying its best efforts to remove the gap by overall development for which the government is somehow going tough against mafias and other anti elements.

The latest development in Jammu and Kashmir comes to the forefront when the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir orders the eviction of illegal structures and retrieval of state land grabbed by landlords, Politicians, Bureaucrats, and others. Though the government was continuously retching, announcing that middle-class families and state land owners with few pieces of land will not be touched and will be left free from this eviction drive, raising a question that somehow who is the middle class i.e the owner of land with 05-15 marlas.

Since the eviction drive was launched in almost every district of Jammu and Kashmir, much fear among the residents of Sunjwan and Bathandi broke down when notices were taken around their residences. The residents marked their protest against the eviction drive leveling it as a selection drive against a particular community. The drive was taken from politicians and bureaucrats reaching to MG Hector showroom located at Malik Market near Wave mall Channi Jammu wherein the anger of general public breaks and stone pelting incidents happened during night hours forcing the security forces to use tear gas shells for disbursing the protesters.

Somehow the stone pelters were arrested by Jammu and Kashmir Police and District Development Commissioner Jammu Smt. Avny Lavasa released a video message for the general society to cooperate with the concerned officers as the government is working on the regulation of middle-class families under colonies for which they have no need to fear. The eviction drive is carried out for the larger interest of society and the retrieved areas and land must be used for the construction and establishment of offices and companies. (DC Jammu in a video message informed).

During the meantime arresting of stone pelters regarding the Malik Market stone pelting incident, A District Development Councilor from the Kahara region of Doda District was also taken into the custody of police alleging that He used some words to provoke the youths that created a ruckus among the protesters and security forces that results in the stone pelting by residents of Sunjwan Bathindi residents.

“Opinion”

The eviction drive is somehow benefitting the general society but there is a need for mass awareness among the public for which the government is acting tough and believing in practical works in the matter of eviction drive. As social media is continuously rounded up with the news of the eviction drive, various politicians and bureaucrats are expressing anger on social media. The broadcasting of any news story either in the interest of the government or the general society must be watched and rumors must be curbed as the government is taking steps for the general society with long-run benefits. The government must frame a strategy to regularize the land owners who earlier have gotten their rights from time to time with minimum charges as per revenue rates and the ownership must be given to middle-class families who are coming under prefixed criteria so as the fear, anger, and concern must be taken away by winning of hearts.

(The author is a Freelance Writer and Columnist from the Bunjwah region of Kishtwar J&K and can be reached at freelancershafqat@gmail.com 09419974577).