Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday alleged that the demolition of a Jammu-based journalist’s house by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) was carried out “under a political conspiracy” to “defame and humiliate the elected government” and “target a particular community.”
Speaking to reporters, Omar said the officers appointed by the Raj Bhawan launch demolition drives without the permission of the elected government or the approval of the concerned minister.
“The officers appointed by the Raj Bhawan, without the permission of the elected government and the minister, use the bulldozer. It directly means that the elected government is being defamed under a conspiracy,” Omar said, adding that field-level appointments should be made with the elected government’s consent.
“These officers get dictation from others and begin demolitions. There are no two opinions — this is being done under a conspiracy, and a particular community is being targeted,” he alleged.
On Thursday, the JDA demolished the home of journalist Arfaz Ahmad Daing in Jammu on grounds of alleged encroachment.
According to reports, the demolition followed after Daing, who runs the digital news portal News Sehar India, recently linked a police officer to suspected narcotics smugglers arrested in a major cross-border drug trafficking case.
Questioning the JDA’s justification for the demolition, the Chief Minister said he had sought a full list of all cases of alleged illegal occupation of JDA land in Jammu. He argued that selectively targeting one individual raised suspicions of communal bias.
“Was this the only place in Jammu where allegations of illegal occupation exist?” he asked. “Because it is not possible that this is the only allegation on JDA property. Is his religion behind this.
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Omar further claimed that the Department had not been informed about the demolition.
“Can someone show me the file where the minister was informed? Has the minister been consulted before the bulldozer left the garage?” he said. “No one supports illegal occupation of government property, but those who pick and choose to humiliate the elected government must also stop.”
He said that if any officer of his own department had authorised such an action without approval, he would have taken action. “Once might be a mistake, twice could be a mistake. But one after another, these actions are being taken only to humiliate and defame the elected government because they cannot digest the election results,” Abdullah charged.
Calling for transparency, the CM urged the JDA to publish a full list of illegally occupied land in Jammu.
“Take out a list and put it in the newspaper tomorrow. Let people see who all are behind this,” he said.
“But if you choose one and target him based on religion or area, then this is nothing but a political conspiracy.”
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti targeted the ruling National Conference government for the demolition.
“These aren’t the homes of helpless Muslim families in UP or elsewhere where targeting minorities has become the norm. This is Jammu & Kashmir where Arfaz a journalist who built a modest home 40 years ago on 3 marlas of land saw it being crushed to rubble in seconds. The NC government dismissed the PDP’s anti-bulldozer bill by branding these residents as land grabbers. Today the brutal consequences of that decision are for all to see,” she said on X.
Last month, J&K ruling NC voted against a Bill brought by PDP legislator Waheed Para in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, seeking ownership rights for “State subjects” who had been living in houses built on government land for at least 20 years.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah opposed the Bill saying it would “help the land mafia”.
