Jammu Demolition Drive Sparks Political Storm and Community Response
In a remarkable display of community solidarity, a Hindu neighbor has come forward to gift land to a journalist's family whose house was demolished during an anti-encroachment drive conducted by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in Jammu city. The demolition that took place on Thursday has ignited significant political controversy, with leaders across party lines accusing authorities of engaging in selective action against the affected family.
Neighbor's Generous Offer Goes Viral
Kuldeep Kumar, accompanied by his daughter Tanya, made the heartfelt gesture of offering a five-marla plot in Jammu's Transport Nagar area to help the displaced family rebuild their home. "I am gifting five marlas of land through my daughter to the family so that my brother can rebuild his house," Kumar told reporters, adding that he would extend further assistance during the construction phase. The video documenting this generous land gift has since gone viral across social media platforms, receiving widespread appreciation from viewers.
The demolition operation was executed by JDA officials with substantial police presence, targeting what they described as illegal structures within the Transport Nagar locality. However, local residents maintain they had been living in the area for approximately four decades without receiving any prior eviction notice from authorities.
Political Reactions and Accusations of Selective Targeting
Former Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina visited the affected families and strongly criticized the demolition as selective. "I was pained to see this. Our Prime Minister believes in giving houses to the poor, not demolishing them. We will ensure all help," he stated, while simultaneously praising Kumar's gesture as emblematic of Jammu and Kashmir's traditional harmony.
Raina specifically distanced Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha from the controversial action, clarifying, "The Lieutenant Governor has not used the bulldozer. I spoke to him and he said no such orders were issued. Where did the order come from? I won't politicise it."
The journalist whose family home was demolished revealed that the structure belonged to his father and they had resided there for 40 years. He raised critical questions about the procedure, stating, "No notice was served. It was selective targeting. Where were the authorities all this time?"
Cross-Party Condemnation and Official Stance
Jammu and Kashmir Congress working president Raman Bhalla joined the chorus of condemnation, asserting, "Such things should not happen. Due legal process must be followed, and people must be heard. This is an atrocity."
PDP leader Varinder Singh Sonu launched a more comprehensive critique of the selective nature of the demolition drive. "Was only this three-marla house an encroachment? What about big land grabbers? This is shameful," Sonu questioned. He further challenged the National Conference government's approach, demanding, "If encroachments must be removed, remove them from everywhere, including those by the most influential people. You call a three-marla owner a land grabber, but what about palatial houses on hundreds of kanals?"
The JDA maintains that the demolition forms part of ongoing efforts to clear encroachments from its land holdings throughout Jammu. According to recent government data presented in the assembly, over 16,000 kanals of JDA land remains under encroachment in Jammu district specifically.
The chief minister's written reply detailed the scale of encroachment: "The total JDA land under encroachment is 16,212 kanals and two marlas. In respect of Jammu Municipal Corporation, eight kanals and 16 marlas of land at Chatha are under encroachment." The government acknowledged that certain portions of land were transferred to the JDA with pre-existing encroachments already in place.
