Srinagar, Feb 6: Amid the government’s ongoing anti-encroachment drive in J&K, Peoples Conference President Sajad Gani Lone on Monday said that authorities were creating an environment of homelessness.
“The outside officers posted in Kashmir are tourists, they will come and go tomorrow but they are creating homelessness. Only we have to bear this later,” Lone told the media during a press conference at his residence here.
“I don’t why they are creating homelessness. They said they wouldn’t touch poor people and I think they need to explain the definition of poor. Authorities think that every Kashmiri Muslim is rich. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. If a Kashmiri Muslim has nothing, they are still treated as rich people,” he said.
He said that every day one sees poor people living on 2-4 marlas and their houses being bulldozed. “On the other hand, the LG office says that they wouldn’t touch the poor. Either those videos wherein poor are targeted are fake or LG office is lying,” he said.
Lone expressed anguish over the government’s non -serious attitude in issuing the notices to the people.
“In entire India, there is a system where notice is being served before taking out the demolition. They have to follow the law of land. I want to know where they are issuing the notices,” he said.
“There is always a law under which things work. The land law should not be violated. It has to be obeyed.”
He said that they may be issuing the notices to rich people up to some extent.
“But people living on a few Marlas have never been issued notices. Coming and bulldozing is not an option. The biggest question is do they want to retrieve the land or humiliate the people. I think humiliation is more important for them,” Lone said.
“Taking revenue officials, police and administration with them and then highlighting it is just the marketing of emotions. What nonsense are they doing?”
“Going to a poor’s house with 300 policemen is not bravery. Then demolishing their houses and taking photos. It is a matter of shame,” he added.
He suggested that bulldozer is not something that India should be represented by in Kashmir.
“India should be represented by compassion, love and by affection. Bulldozer can be the last thing,” he said.
Lone questioned the central government that they retrieved all the state lands being occupied outside the J&K.
“Our LG is from Uttar Pradesh. I wanted to know has all the illegal land in UP been retrieved,” he said.
He said that authorities here can’t think best for Kashmiri people. “They can’t take all the decisions. They are not elected by the people. Since no elections have been held, the Union government has sent someone to take care of this place, but he can’t take decisions on people’s behalf. I appeal to my Prime Minister that I had a wrong notion that you are my prime minister, tell me who is my Prime Minister and of those poor people,” he said.
When asked if reports said that you are hand in glove with the government, Lone responded, “My sister’s house has also been demolished. Where are now A teams and B teams.”
The PC chief said that he has the list of big sharks who have encroached the state land – both in Jammu & Kashmir.
“I have also listed the big land encroachers. Once this is over, we will release our list and no one has touched them yet. They are very big people,” he said.
Lone said that they have to protest and save those poor people who have been made targets.
“We can’t tell them to come out and protest. They will be beaten up and put into jails,” he said.