NC MP Ruhullah Mehdi questions J-K govt over demolition drives

Jammu, Dec 31 (PTI) Disgruntled National Conference MP Ruhullah Mehdi on Wednesday questioned the Jammu and Kashmir government over "selective" demolition drives and urged it to deliver on the promises made to the people.

Talking to reporters after visiting the demolished house of journalist Arfaz Ahmad Daing in the Transport Nagar area here, Mehdi criticised the government for its alleged failure to provide relief to the affected family. Daing’s house was demolished during an anti-encroachment drive on November 27 by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) with the displaced family claiming they had been living there for the past four decades and were not served any prior notice.

“He (Chief Minister Omar Abdullah) could have come here, summoned the JDA officers, and inquired who ordered the demolition. At least then the truth would have come out. No one prevented him from doing so,” Mehdi said after meeting the affected family including the parents of Daing.

Referring to one Kuldeep Sharma who offered his five-marla land to Daing family for rebuilding their house, he said if Sharma can make an offer despite having no resources, why did the government not feel the need to act.

“The government has resources. It should have stepped forward to help the family and should act to stop such demolition drives in the future, whether here or in Ganderbal in Kashmir,” he added.

The Srinagar MP said the government must fulfil its promises made to the people as it has completed more than one year in office.

“A government that comes to power on people’s votes must fulfil its commitments. If it fails, the same people who gave it power can also pull it down,” he warned.

Raising questions over the handling of student protests on the issue of reservation, the NC leader asked “who stopped the elected government from sitting with the protesting students and talking to them".

“If they claim the file was sent to the LG for approval, why did not they engage with the students and compel action?” he said.

On December 3, Chief Minister Abdullah-led cabinet cleared a new reservation policy for J&K based on the cabinet sub-committee report and forwarded the file to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha for approval.

Reservations have become a major issue in J&K following the Central government’s decision to add more communities to the reserved category and expand quotas in the UT over the past five years.

There have been growing objections to the Centre’s move to push the reservation quota to 70 per cent in J&K, following last year’s announcements introducing a separate 10 per cent reservation for Paharis and other tribes and enhancing the OBC quota to eight per cent.

On December 10 last year, the J&K government constituted the cabinet sub-committee to look into grievances raised by various sections of aspirants against the existing reservation policy in the UT. The sub-committee forwarded its report in October and accordingly its review by the law department was completed. PTI TAS TAS KVK KVK