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| Lal Singh's land eviction drive, threaten mass agitation | | Gujjar-Bakarwal families hold protests against | | Saahil Suhail
Early Times Report
Anantnag, July 20: Gujjar-Bakaral families whose residential houses have been razed to ground by the forest department in Jammu during land eviction drive, Wednesday held strong protests at Chandanwari Pahalgam against Forest Minister Lal Singh and threatened mass agitation.
A group of affected families assembled in the premises of Jamia Masjid Chandanwari located adjacent to a temporary army camp-setup for ongoing Amarnath Yatra- and shouted high pitched slogans against Choudhary Lal Singh- Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology- and State government for razing down their residential and commercial structures at Nagrota Jammu and other areas including Khanpora Nallah, Janipora, Kherirapper, Bakarwal Basti and Jadi Jammu during past week.
Protesting Gujjar-Bakaral families alleged that Minister was adding fuel to fire that has already claimed over forty lives in the state.
"We don't have any problem with the land eviction drive but the Minister should first act against those influential business tycoons and in fact Ministers of his party who have occupied the forest land in Jammu," they said.
Mohd Firdous Wakad, whose residential house at Nagrota Jammu has been demolished by the authorities, questioned the resumption and timing of the land eviction drive.
"How the Minister has dared to resume the drive at a time when Kashmir is on fire, dozens of civilians have died and this drive of displacing Muslim Gujjar-Bakaral families will add fuel to fire the situation could escalate," Mohd Firdous said while seeking Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's intervention.
"We have never picked up guns or have never even thought to revolt against India but this Minister (Choudhary Lal Singh) is forcing us to think about it," Mohd Ashraf Choudhary, one of the protestor said.
Fareed Ahmad Khattana who was leading the protesters said that Gujjar-Bakaral families are residing in these dokhas (muddy houses) from last over six decades and those whose houses have been demolished have property rights and all revenue documents available with them.
"When we were in Jammu authorities didn't even approach us or didn't served us any notice but structures were demolished in past week as we have moved to Pahalgam for employment and grazing our sheep and goats," he said.
Protesters urged Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to intervene and stop the situation from getting worsened due to land eviction drive. "Our duty is to inform Chief Minister through media, if she failed to address our issues we will come out on roads," he threatened. |
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