PDP's Iltija Mufti attacks NC govt over demolition, terms it 'Yogi model' in J-K

PDP leader Iltija Mufti on Thursday accused the NC govt of failing to protect the families affected by an anti-encroachment drive on forest land in Jammu and alleged that the 'Yogi model' of demolition was being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir.

Police and Forest Department teams on Tuesday conducted an anti-encroachment drive in the Raika Bandi forest belt of the lower Shivalik range on the outskirts of Jammu city, demolishing over 30 structures and retrieving nearly 60 kanals of prime forest land valued at several crores, officials said.

Iltija Mufti, who visited the affected families on Thursday, alleged that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is ''ironic and appalling'' as demolitions are being carried out despite the absence of a BJP government in the Union Territory.

''The unfortunate part is that unlike Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, there is no BJP government here. Here, the government is a local party, a Muslim-dominated party, the National Conference. Yet they are implementing the BJP's agenda,'' she told reporters here.

Iltija Mufti claimed that there was a ''nexus'' between political narratives, alleging that the poor were being targeted under demolition drives while the powerful ''land grabbers'' were not being acted against.

''Because Kashmir is not Uttar Pradesh, where Yogi ji sends his JCB machines, or West Bengal, where Suvendu Adhikari is now the Chief Minister-someone who allegedly persecutes Muslims. Here, the government is led by a party which is predominantly Muslim, and yet somehow they are working against the very people they were given a massive mandate to protect,'' she said.

She also accused the ruling National Conference government of presiding over the introduction of the 'Yogi model' of demolitions in Jammu and Kashmir.

''So it is unfortunate that the so-called 'Yogi model' of Uttar Pradesh is now being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir as well. There is some kind of nexus here. When the PDP brought a land Bill, Omar Sahib said they are land grabbers; when the BJP speaks, they call it 'land jihad'. Somewhere, these narratives are working together to harass the people here,'' she alleged.

On the statement of Jammu and Kashmir Forest Minister Javed Rana regarding his lack of knowledge about the demolitions, the PDP leader questioned administrative responsibility, asking under whose control the Forest Department functioned and who was accountable for the action.

''Just a minute - under whom does the Forest Department fall? Not under the LG? You people say it comes under Javed Rana. So their DFO came here - not with any order, not with police, but with JCB machines. If Javed Rana has no control, then whom should people here seek justice from?'' she asked.

Calling for his resignation, she said, ''As they say, if my killer is my judge, who will give me justice?''.

She alleged that contradictory statements were being made by the government, claiming that orders were issued in the morning and denied later.

Referring to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's earlier remarks on demolition drives, she said action should have been taken against big land grabbers instead of the poor and marginalised sections.

''Have they targeted any land grabbers, hoteliers, rich people or millionaires? No. It is only the poor and marginalised who are suffering under the JCB machines,'' she said.

She also alleged that no prior notice was given before the demolition, calling it a violation of the Supreme Court guidelines that mandate advance notice before such action.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)