Encroachment, by definition, happens when someone crosses boundaries outlined in a survey, violating the property rights of another property owner. In simple words, it is illegally occupied land. Land mafias use various methods to encroach on properties.
However, encroachment on private properties is difficult. Because land mafias, turn their attention towards secluded government land that has no custodian for a while. Moreover, claiming land from religious groups or economically marginalized populations will cause nationwide outrage.
Hence, from making religious shrines to settling illegal refugees, land mafias use all the available methods to occupy government land.
On February 5, a notorious left propagandist, Ashok Swain, shared a video of an eviction drive by the J&K administration with the caption, “Following Israeli formula, India’s Modi regime bulldozing Muslim houses in Kashmir.”
So, is Modi’s regime really bulldozing the houses of Kashmiris, or is the truth far from the claim? Let’s Fact Check.
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Fact Check
Our team started the research with the keyword search, “Encroachment drive in Jammu and Kashmir.” Using the keyword search, we came across a few media reports.
According to a Greater Kashmir report, land worth 509.90 million rupees has been recovered so far. The land was under the control of Srinagar’s influential people.
So, in this report, we are going to cover a few land sharks.
The J&K Administration has retrieved National Conference (NC) senior leader Ali Mohammad Sagar’s 6-kanal state land worth Rs 9 crore at Rakh-e-Gund Aksha in central Shalteng, which was illegally occupied.
The anti-encroachment operation was against leading congressman and ex-minister Peerzada Muhammad Syed, former Dooru constituency MP Syed Farooq Andrabi, and family members of former Chief Minister Syed Mir Qasim.
The Pahalgam administration successfully retrieved the land of a guesthouse worth crores. The land was built illegally by the former executive officer of the municipal council, Bashir Ahmed Dar, and the former secretary of the municipal council, Manzoor Ahmad. Also, the authorities explained that they occupied themselves by misusing their powers. A citizen named Asif from J&K lauded this government initiative.
Further, the Srinagar Administration began an anti-encroachment drive at a lawyer and daughter of former separatist leader Shabnam Lone’s residence at Kral Sangri.
Moreover, the authorities in Samba have retrieved the illegal constructions of the son of a former MLA near the national road.
Following this, the Shopian administration retrieved over 13 kanals of forest land. That land was illegally occupied by former minister Taj Mohi-Ud-din, now a DAP leader, during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive.
On the other hand, the Srinagar Administrator demolished the outer wall of former bureaucrat Farooq Renzu in an ongoing eviction drive.
Furthermore, we found that the Congress president Vikar Rasool was one of the major shark among ‘land grabbers.’
Whereas, Hurriyat leader Qazi Yasir who built a shopping complex on government land in Anantnag, is also being demolished by anti-encroachment authorities. In addition, the Anantnag authorities demolished former MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi’s commercial complex.
Political leaders from all spectrums have featured in land grabbing in J&K by misusing their power. Besides this, the Senior BJP Leader and former deputy chief minister of state Kavinder Gupta’s properties are seized by Jammu revenue official.
However, while the illegal properties of Congress, the Hurriyat, the National Conference, and BJP leaders have been confiscated, the BJP still welcomes the anti-encroachment drive while other parties are staging protests against it.
Consequently, to protect personal interests, Congress, the National Conference, and Hurriyat are fueling the seeds of agitation. Moreover, they are using the common public as cannon fodder by spreading misinformation. As a result, the District Commissioner of Kulgam, Dr. Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat, appealed to people not to pay attention to false news.
Besides, the deputy commissioner and district magistrate of Jammu tweeted a video statement. They assured people that no residence or small commercial units, on which the livelihood of families is dependent, will be disturbed during the anti-encroachment drives. She said it’s a pro-people drive.
Hence, after analyzing all the facts, we conclude that the claim Modi Govt using Israel’s strategy to demolish Muslim houses is outrightly misleading.
Ever since the Jammu and Kashmir administration has started their eviction drive, social media is flooded with videos of weeping people losing their properties, but amidst all this noise, the bigger picture is getting blurred out.
To conclude, several influential people have acquired land in J&K by misusing their power. This includes politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, etc. The J&K administration has started getting their land back from these influential land grabbers.
| Claim | BJP Government demolishing the houses of Kashmiris |
| Claimed by | Ashok Swain |
| Fact Check | Misleading |
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