NOTHING SHOULD DETER EVICTION DRIVE
The apprehension made by Democratic Azad Party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad that hartals and stone-pelting incidents could return in J&K if homes and small businesses were subjected to demolition under the anti-encroachment could become a possibility but the LG Manoj Sinha has time and again assured that the same would not be the case as only big sharks and influential are on the government radar. Ghulam Nabi Azad’s assertion sounds more like his political compulsion because when local heads of the district administrations and the head of the UT have separately given assurances that the ongoing eviction drive has nothing to do with those having small land holdings then there is no meaning of raising this hypothetical question because such pointless issues at times have the potential to trigger and escalate tension in the affected areas. Being the experienced and the seasoned political personality, this kind of attitude doesn’t suit Azad and he should refrain from taking such stances as not only DAP but even the party in power viz BJP holds much regard for the rebel Congress leader and head of the newly formed political outfit DAP. It is pertinent to mention that Azad had cautioned the Jammu and Kashmir administration against its ongoing anti-encroachment drive, saying the ‘hartal and stone-pelting’ culture is likely to return if homes and small shops are demolished. His allegation that the eviction drive has resulted in corruption as people were paying bribes to revenue officials to ensure their names do not feature among those who have encroached on state land again seems to have been made out of political duress because under LG Manoj Sinha’s realms corruption has become the thing of past and whatever Azad is saying must not have any basis as it prima facie seems to be unfounded accusation which should at the first place must be supported with a strong evidence which is missing in the present case. It is pertinent to mention that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha have given assurances of not harming the poor population.