Protests across Jammu, parts of valley against Modi’s land eviction order

In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, eviction of Kashmiris from their lands with an aim to settle outsiders there in order to effect the demographic configuration of the territory triggered anti-India protests across Jammu region and in parts of the Kashmir valley.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a protest demonstration against the eviction in the name of anti-encroachment drive outside the party office in Jammu. The PDP in its statement voiced deep concern over the Modi regime’s move of divesting the people of the land registered under various titles in revenue records across the occupied territory.

The PDP said the regime is totally blind towards the destruction of the livelihood of the rural poor. “Is this beginning of the process of “Acchay din”, the administration is conducting false propaganda that the land is being acquired for development purposes but the facts are contrary to its claims,” it added. The party deplored that the regime has mobilized all its machinery to dislodge the poor from their land on different pretexts. The people who are living off this land have found themselves in a bind after the regime’s recent order, it added

The Democratic Azad Party leaders and workers also organised a protest against the land eviction order. Raising slogans ‘Land Order Wapis Karo’ ‘Administration Hosh Mei Aao’ against the order, the protesters marched to the Divisional Commssioner office in Jammu and submitted a memorandum. The party General Secretary DAP R.S.Chib said that the party organised a peaceful protest against the land eviction order of the Modi government. He said the time has come to stand and fight for rights of the Kashmiri people.

A large number of Congress activists led by Shahnawaz Choudhary and Jatinder Chib also staged a strong protest outside Press Club, Jammu. Carrying placards in their hands, the protesters raised slogans against the land order issued by the Indian government. “We demand roll back of this unjust land notification. It seems that BJP controlled administration is planning escape route for big sharks involved in land mafia business by uprooting poor and landless people,” Shahnawaz said while addressing media after protest.

Aam Aadmi Party activists also come out of their houses in Chenani area of Jammu city against the eviction of poor and marginalized farmers and bulldozing of their houses. Spearheaded by Harsh Dev Singh, the protesters raised slogans and blamed the Modi regime for harassing the downtrodden on the pretext of encroachments. Addressing on the occasion, Harsh Dev Singh said the indigent farmers and the poor in IIOJK are being evicted from their marginal land holdings in the name of anti-encroachment drive while the corrupt leaders and bureaucrats continue to treat government and forest lands as their father’s fiefdom.

In Rajouri, people from Gurdhan Bala village near Rajouri also held a protest demonstration against the new land order of the Modi government demanding its immediate rollback. Villagers assembled in the area and held a meeting followed by a press conference in which they said that new land order is high-handed approach and is aimed to target people from below the poverty line. The villagers including Mohammad Aslam, Shafi Mohammad and others said that poor families and small scale farmers are in a state of distress due to this order.

Meanwhile, scores of mutton dealers protested against the closing of their shops. The mutton dealers gathered at Pratap Park, Press Enclave in Srinagar under the banner of the Unity of Mutton Traders Association and shouted slogans in support of their demand.

In Udhampur, Team Beopar Mandal took to the streets against PDD for unscheduled curtailment and blocked the road for two hours outside PDD office in the town. President Jitendar Vermani said that due to unscheduled curtailment of electricity is creating problems for the business community as most of the business is dependent on electricity.