House Demolition After 35 Years Sparks Outrage in Jammu
The single-storey house of 72-year-old Ghulam Qadir Daing in Jammu's Narwal area was demolished by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) on Thursday morning, ending his 35-year residence at the property. The demolition has triggered widespread reactions across the Union Territory, with political leaders from multiple parties visiting the affected family and questioning the authorities' actions.
Political Leaders Extend Support to Affected Family
As visuals of Daing and his son Arfaz, a local journalist, went viral on social media, former BJP president Ravinder Raina visited the family on Friday and assured them of all possible help. Raina referenced the Prime Minister Awas Yojna for urban poor, stating, "We are those who provide houses to the poor and not demolish them." Senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla also came to sympathize with the family during this difficult time.
In a remarkable show of community support, Hindu neighbor Kuldeep Sharma consoled Daing amidst the rubble of his destroyed home and offered him his own 5-marla land. Another Hindu family also came forward and gifted a plot of land to journalist Arfaz Ahmad Daing, demonstrating cross-community solidarity in the aftermath of the demolition.
JDA Defends Action While Family Questions Timing
The Jammu Development Authority has defended the demolition, claiming that the Daing house was built on the authority's land. JDA Vice-Chairman Rupesh Kumar stated that the first notice was sent to the family on October 29, followed by a second notice on November 18 after they failed to respond to the initial communication.
However, Kumar made a surprising claim that during the process, Daing had submitted in writing that the Narwal house did not belong to him or his family. The JDA official also pointed out that Arfaz had built another house on "state land" in Bhatindi, which was recently demolished by another agency.
The Daing family and their neighbors counter that they have been living on the plot for nearly 35 years without any previous issues. Local residents gathered at the demolition site questioned why a poor family was being targeted when powerful and influential people occupy hundreds of acres in Jammu city and its outskirts.
Chief Minister Questions Demolition Motives
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah slammed the Lieutenant Governor administration over the demolition measures, calling them "a conspiracy" to "malign" his government. Abdullah challenged the JDA CEO to publish a list of illegal encroachers in newspapers and raised critical questions about the selective targeting.
"Is there only this single place in Jammu where allegations of encroachment have been levelled? I have asked the department to furnish the full list of illegal encroachment on JDA land. I also want to see why this single person was targeted by the authorities and if his religion is the reason for that," the Chief Minister stated.
Abdullah emphasized that officers posted by Raj Bhavan use bulldozers independently, without the elected government's permission and without consulting the concerned minister.
Family's Journey from Terror-Hit Doda to Jammu
The demolition marks a tragic full circle for Ghulam Qadir Daing, who originally fled his home in Doda's Bhalesa in the early 1990s due to terrorist threats. Daing recounted how border districts came under terrorist influence in 1991-92, with youths returning after arms training in Pakistan and forcibly taking away able-bodied men to join their ranks.
"Though my eldest son was then only 12, he was tall and healthy. Fearing they might abduct him too, I rode a cycle with him over 30 km to Thathri, from where we boarded a bus for Jammu," Daing remembered. With barely Rs 200-300 in hand, they made their way to Narwal Mandi, where they initially slept on borrowed gunny bags.
Daing started with a small food stall that gradually grew successful, eventually enabling him to build a permanent house. His wife and other two children later joined them from Bhalesa, and the family never returned to their original home, putting down roots in Jammu instead.
Broader Implications and Community Response
The demolition has raised broader questions about encroachment policies and their implementation in Jammu and Kashmir. Former BJP state chief Raina claimed that the demolition orders had not come from the L-G administration but the Abdullah government, adding another layer to the political controversy.
Raina praised Kuldeep Sharma for offering his land to Daing, stating: "This is our Jammu and Kashmir, where if trouble comes to a Muslim family, the Hindu neighbour comes to its help... Mazhab nahin sikhata aapas mein bair rakhna (Religion doesn't tell us to harbour differences)... This is our Hindustan."
The incident has highlighted the complex interplay between urban development policies, historical settlements, and community relations in the region, with the affected family now facing an uncertain future despite the outpouring of support from both political leaders and local residents.
