Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has made a direct appeal to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, urging him to intervene and stop the proposed allotment of fertile agricultural land in south Kashmir's Pulwama district to the Border Security Force (BSF).
Mehbooba's Visit and Concerns Over Livelihoods
During a visit to the Puchal area of Pulwama, Mehbooba Mufti met with local farmers who cultivate the vast tract of land under discussion. She argued that the move to establish a security complex on productive land near an inhabited village is a flawed decision. For generations, this land has been the primary source of sustenance for numerous families, she emphasized.
The former chief minister warned that the project would strip villagers of their only means of employment and income. Furthermore, she raised a serious security concern, stating that positioning such a facility dangerously close to residential areas could pose significant risks to the local population.
Link to Rejected 'Anti-Bulldozer Bill'
Mehbooba Mufti connected the current situation to the recent rejection of a private member's bill in the state assembly. The bill, moved by PDP legislator from Pulwama, Waheed Parra, was introduced on October 28. It sought to grant ownership rights to residents who have lived in houses built on state land for more than two decades.
Parra had termed the proposed legislation an "anti-bulldozer bill" designed to protect people facing eviction notices. However, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah opposed it, arguing that granting ownership for illegal constructions on state land would essentially reward land encroachers. The assembly subsequently rejected the bill.
Mehbooba claimed that since the bill's rejection, demolition drives have intensified, leaving many people vulnerable and insecure about their housing and land rights.
Call for Relocation and Government's Responsibility
The PDP chief stressed that an elected government's fundamental duty is to safeguard the rights of its citizens. She asserted that the administration should not strip people of their rights or land by citing "strategic area" requirements, especially when it involves allotting fertile agricultural land to security forces.
Proposing a practical alternative, Mehbooba Mufti said, "The Chief Minister should shift the project to barren land, not the fields that feed and sustain families." She added that while she plans to raise the issue with the Defence Minister as well, the primary responsibility for resolving this matter rests with the state's Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.
At the time the report was filed, the Jammu and Kashmir government had not issued any official response to Mehbooba Mufti's statements and demands regarding the Pulwama land allotment issue.
