J&K shouldn’t be divided on such grounds: Itoo
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 13: The Legislative Assembly today witnessed uproar after BJP MLA from Bahu Vikram Randhawa claimed that 90 pc encroachments on the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) land have been made by the Kashmiris.
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Randhawa said this while raising supplementary in response to his question on encroachments, the reply to which was given by Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo on behalf of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who holds charge of Housing and Urban Development Department.
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Alleging that 16,000 kanals of JDA land has been encroached, Randhawa said 90 percent of encroachments have been made by the Kashmiris.
This resulted into strong reaction by the treasury benches even as Randhawa trooped near Well of the House shouting and displaying some papers.
However, by then the Question Hour timing was over.
Randhawa alleged that habitations of people from the valley have come up on encroached land belonging to the JDA and the Government, and that the authorities have failed to remove the encroachments.
“Let the Government probe it and take action for the removal of encroachments from my constituency. There are over 16,000 kanals of JDA land under encroachment in Jammu,” he said.
“We have no problem if Kashmiris purchase land and construct their houses in Jammu, but they should not construct houses on Government land,” he added.
Randhawa’s claims did not go down well with the ruling NC members.
Minister Sakina Itoo rejected the allegations and said encroachment issues should not be viewed through a regional lens and Jammu and Kashmir should not be divided on such grounds.
Replying to Randhawa’s question Itoo said that, according to available records, land measuring 688 kanals (8 kanals is 1 acre) and 17 marlas (160 marla is 1 acre) in Tehsil Bahu and 579 kanals in Tehsil Jammu South is under illegal encroachment.
“These encroachments are old and are being removed as per the provisions of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act and other relevant laws,” Itoo, said.
She noted that since January 2025, a total of 34 anti-encroachment drives have been carried out in Tehsils Bahu and Jammu South, leading to the retrieval of 140 kanals and 11 marlas of land belonging to the Jammu Development Authority (JDA).
Earlier, the Minister said that fencing and signboards have been installed to prevent future encroachments and to safeguard the retrieved land.
“Teams comprising Junior Engineers, Patwaris and other field staff regularly visit the areas under their jurisdiction and immediately report any attempt to encroach upon JDA land,” she said.
The Minister said that the JDA has sufficient manpower and, whenever required, the Jammu Municipal Corporation, the Revenue Department and local police extend full cooperation during eviction and anti-encroachment drives.
On action against erring officials, Itoo assured that appropriate measures, including issuance of warnings, initiation of departmental proceedings, red entries in service books, suspensions and withholding of increments have been taken against delinquent officers and officials of the JDA.
“Red entries have been made in the service books of Pankaj Sambyal and Romesh Kumar for their alleged involvement in encroachment of JDA land in Tehsil Jammu South,” she added.
She asserted that responsibility is fixed strictly in accordance with the law after due verification and following the prescribed procedure.
Later, talking to reporters outside the House, Randhawa alleged that the Government is hiding the list of encroachers as they belong to the Valley.
“Why has the Government failed to provide me with the list?” he asked.
Meanwhile, during discussion on the grants of the Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs Departments, Minister Sakina Itoo raised a point of information regarding alleged remarks made by BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa against Kashmiris.
Itoo told the House that Randhawa had reportedly stated outside the Assembly that Kashmiris would not be allowed to settle in Jammu, terming the alleged remarks as unfortunate and inappropriate for a legislator.
She said such statements could hurt public sentiments and create misunderstanding among people.
Responding to the concern, Randhawa strongly denied making any remarks against Kashmiris.
He clarified that he had stated that land grabbers would not be allowed to settle in Jammu, irrespective of religion, and asserted that his comments were being misinterpreted.
NC MLA Altaf Kaloo also expressed concern over the issue, claiming that the reported statement had caused disappointment among people in Kashmir and that there were calls for clarification.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened and urged members to maintain decorum.
He pacified the legislators after Randhawa reiterated that he had not spoken against any community, bringing the brief disruption to an end and allowing the House to resume normal proceedings.
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