Jammu & Kashmir

Demolitions pose threat of return of ‘hartal, stone-pelting’ in JK: Azad

A file photo of stone pelting in Kashmir.

Srinagar: Democratic Azad Party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad has cautioned the Jammu and Kashmir administration against its ongoing demolition drive, saying the ‘hartal and stone-pelting’ is likely to return if homes and small shops are demolished.

The eviction drive has resulted in corruption as people were paying bribes to revenue officials to ensure their names do not feature among those who have ‘encroached on state land’, PTI reported quoting the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The government has done certain good things like ending the culture of hartal and stone-pelting (in Kashmir). It is a positive thing which has happened, but if they start demolishing homes and small shops, there is a likelihood that hartals and stone-pelting will return and the government itself will be responsible for it,” the DAP chief told PTI.

He said the administration should not do anything which will end up spreading negativity as demolition of structures continues in the union territory.

“Earlier, the people were responsible for hartals and stone-pelting but now, if the same thing happens again, the administration will be directly responsible. The administration must encash on positivity rather than spreading negativity,” Azad said.

He also suggested that the administration should stop the drive as it is a loss for it as well as the poor.

Pertinently, the JK administration on January 9, issued a circular directing the deputy commissioners of the Union territory to ensure that “all encroachments on state land” were removed “to the extent of 100% by 31st January 2023”.

The demolition drive has picked its pace in both Jammu and Kashmir districts. However, locals say that they did not receive any prior notices from the administration.

Many of them also say that they had documents proving ownership of their properties, but the authorities did not give them an opportunity to present their claims before running bulldozers over their homes.

Click to comment
To Top