SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana, boycotted a Forest Department event in Srinagar in protest against the recent demolition of structures belonging to Gujjar and Bakarwal families in the Sidhra area of Jammu, according to The Hindu.
The report stated that the minister did not attend the “International Day for Biological Diversity” event held at Dachigam on Friday, despite being invited as the chief guest.
The programme was attended by senior Forest Department officials, including Commissioner Secretary Forests, Ecology and Environment Sheetal Nanda and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Sarvesh Rai.
The boycott came days after a joint operation by the Forest Department and Jammu and Kashmir Police demolished 32 structures at Raika Bandi in Sidhra on 19 May, leaving more than two dozen Gujjar and Bakarwal families displaced.
The Hindu reported that the minister’s move reflected emerging differences between the elected government and officials who report directly to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Following the demolition, Rana constituted a committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the eviction at Raika Bandi. The panel includes senior officials from the Forest and Revenue Departments and has been tasked with reviewing the legality of the operation and submitting its report within seven working days.
The Tribal Affairs Department has also set up a separate fact-finding committee to look into alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and constitutional protections for Scheduled Tribes.
Rana said that electricity and water supplies to the affected families, reportedly disconnected by the Jammu Development Authority, were restored following his intervention.
The demolition has sparked strong political reactions across Jammu and Kashmir, with opposition parties accusing the administration of targeting nomadic communities and questioning the role of the elected government in preventing such actions.
