Muzaffarnagar (UP), Oct 2 (PTI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday said that around 9,000 acres of government land in the hill state have been freed from encroachment by what he described as "land jihad mafias" who had taken over the properties under the cover of religion.
Addressing people here on the anniversary of the Rampur Tiraha incident -- a movement for statehood of Uttarakhand -- Dhami said that during the drive, 550 illegal mazars were demolished and two illegal mosques were removed.
At least 250 unauthorised madrasas were also shut down in Uttarakhand, Dhami said.
The chief minister also said the state madrasa board has been abolished and a new law will come into force from January 26, under which all madrasas will be brought under a uniform system with a revised syllabus.
Dhami, who paid tributes to the martyrs of Uttarakhand at the Shaheed Sthal in Rampur Tiraha, said their sacrifice during the statehood movement will always be remembered.
"Our government is continuously working for the development of Uttarakhand, following the dreams of the agitators who struggled for a separate state," Dhami said, recalling the events of October 2, 1994, when several activists were killed in police firing at Rampur Tiraha in Muzaffarnagar district during the Uttarakhand statehood movement. PTI COR KIS SMV ARI