Asif Iqbal Naik
Jammu
In order to show the strong bonds of communal harmony in Jammu, the members from both Hindu and Muslim community on Friday withstood with the Muslim Gujjar family and resisted the “selective” demolition drive of Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in Belicherana area of Jammu.
As per the details available with Kashmir Life, Mohammad Yaqoob Gujjar, father of four young daughter had started a construction on a portion of his land surrounded with boundary walls, one local BJP female leader identified by the people as Antoo Devi married to a resident of West Bengal allegedly started harassing him on one or other pretext and said that the woman BJP leader demanded a piece of land from the victim for construction of shops which was denied to her by the victim.
The wife of Mohammad Yaqoob said that the lady along with other associates who according to her happened to be the land gabbers and was involved in selling of several kanals of state land started using its political influence to put pressure on the family, but the poor family refused to buckle under any pressure.
She said that earlier the BJP leader and her associates used police to stop the construction work, but later brought the matter into the notice JDA officials through her political master as a result of which the team of JDA officials comprising of Tehsildar Tanveer Ahmed and Chief Khlawarzi Inspector Narinder Singh along with heavy contingent of police led by SHO Satwari Manjeet Singh reach the spot and order for immediate stopping of construction work.
As soon as local people saw police and JDA Officials coming, the people cutting across religious lines comes in support of the poor Gujjar family and resisted the selective demolition drive. The people informed the police and JDA officials about various illegal constructions going on in the area which belongs to police officials, politicians and influential government officials and demanded that the department should started demolition drive of such structures rather than harassing the poor people.
Talking to Kashmir Life, Parvesha Sharma said that both the communities are lying together in the area since last 20-25 years added that soon after the arrival of BJP leader Antoo Devi in the area, the trouble started. She said that the land belongs to Mohammad Yaqoob and said that he (Yaqoob) was sitting on the said land since last over 20 years and termed the JDA approach as in human. She said that the complainant Antoo Devi has encroached the state land and constructed a house on it beside added that the BJP leader had also encroached the road and demanded that action should be taken against her at first instance. She urged the administration to take stern action against the BJP leader for spreading hatred and disturbing communal harmony and peace in the area.
Another local Jyoti Devi said that the female BJP leader is habitual of creating communal disharmony in the area and urged upon the government to take stern action against her for such act. She said that the people want to live in peace and communal harmony added that the BJP leader like Antoo Devi is always a threat to long lasting peace and communal harmony in the area. She also urged upon BJP leadership to reign in the party leader so that peace could prevail in the area.
The people of the area later held a joint meeting and passed the unanimous resolution demanding action against Antoo Devi, Koushal Kumar Sharma and Mahan Singh Parihar alleging that they all had encroached major chunk of state land in the area, besides also condemned the anti community remarks passed by them. They later also called on Vice Chairman JDA Mubarak Singh and informed him about the selective approach of his officials. They also submitted a copy of resolution passed by the people and sought action against the trio and also demanded an end to selective demolition. They also urged upon him to verify the credentials of complainant before initiating action.
VC JDA assured the visiting delegation that he will initiate action against those named in complaint and clarified that he will not allow any further encroachment of JDA. He said that law is equal for everyone and assured uniform action against the guilty without considering his/her status. He also directed the Director Land Management JDA to initiate necessary action against the trio mentioned in the complaint.
